Aussies look forward to a good contest with Team India India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Australian cricket team skipper Ricky Ponting on Wednesday described Team India as a strong side and hoped that the upcoming cricket series would be a good contest. Addressing reporters in Mumbai, Ponting said he always enjoyed playing India in India and the present form of the Indian side looks it would be an exciting contest, which starts October 25. "We have always enjoyed playing in India and playing against India. It's our rivalry over the last few years has grown and grown and I think it's good for the world game. So I am looking forward to the series as the Indians have put together a very strong team and if we look at the names in the squad, they look a very good one-day team. At the moment, the teams are ranked No. 1 and 2 in the world. So it all bodes well for a good contest over the next two weeks," Ponting told reporters in Mumbai. Ponting said that his team would carry forward the momentum from this month's Champions Trophy success into a seven-match one-day series. "I am confident that the group of players we've got we can put up a very good show meanwhile in the next few weeks. I think I certainly wasn't ... as far as we are concerned of how well we played over the last few weeks with England and then the Champion's Trophy in South Africa. So want to continue to build on that, we want to continue to give some of our younger players great experience and great exposure in international level." World champions Australia won a second successive Champions Trophy in South Africa, and also reaffirming their superiority in the one-day game after a 6-1 victory over England following their Ashes defeat. The world no.2 India had to exit in the first round of the Champions Trophy but Ponting said the hosts were a difficult side to beat at home. Team India has been strengthened by the return of the explosive batting pair of Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh from injuries. However, the visiting Team Australia has suffered jolt due to injuries to its leading players. Michael Clarke was forced to withdraw from the Champions Trophy due to back injury. Australia will also miss first choice wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, who is undergoing rehabilitation after finger surgery, as well as left-arm paceman Nathan Bracken (knee). Australia won a one-day series 4-2 on their previous visit to India two years ago.