WE CAN DEFEAT INDIA

Q The Test match series with India starts next week and it feels very hard to gauge where our national team is at but you seem to have a pretty good idea, declaring on radio that Australia will win the series. What makes you so confident?

A I feel as though India are a fantastic team and they’ll be hard to beat, there’s no question. I just think that Australia always perform well in their home conditions. There’s been a lot of talk about off-field distractions. I’m hoping those are behind the team now. I feel as though the batting unit will fire and our bowlers are world class. Yes, their batting is excellent but our bowlers will test them, particularly some of their younger players. A lot of them haven’t really played in Australian conditions before. That’ll challenge them and I feel it gives us a chance.