Australian cricket coach Justin Langer has identified India as Australia's โmost intense rivalโ.
This comes 24 hours out from the first One Day International at the SCG on Friday.
Langer knows his side will need to bring their A-game to beat the Indians this summer.
โWhen I first came into the role, a lot of people will remember India beat us for the first time in Australia, in the history of their cricket,โ Langer said while speaking to Gerard Whateley onย SEN.
โThat was a tough, tough summer on the back of South Africa, but we learned great lessons from it.ย And we know they are probably our most intense rival at the moment.
โThey're lead by Virat Kohli, he's as good a player as I've ever seen, he's as good a leader as I've ever seen.
โI've never seen a player with as much energy, apart from Ricky Ponting maybe.
โThe energy that he exudes on the field is quite incredible really.
โThey're very well lead, they're very talented, they've just come off the IPL, so they've had plenty of white-ball practice.
โThey are a tough, tough outfit and we're going to have to be at our best throughout the white ball games and of course the Test series.
โWe're a different looking team (from the 2018/19 series), we're two years more experienced as well since last time they were out here, and we've been playing some great cricket.
โBut we know with India, that we'll have to be on the top of our game to beat them, that's for sure.
โYou talk to an AFL player who's lost a premiership or a coach that's lost a premiership, and every Test series for us is like playing for a premiership, but over a few games.
โSo, it's certainly left some scars, but I always believe that from scars in life, that's where you do your best learning and best growing.
โWe've certainly grown as a team, and I love coaching this Australian cricket team, they're fantastically talented and they're great young blokes.
โWe've learnt a lot and we've come a long way in two years, and I just really love watching our boys play.โ
The series against India begins with the white ball One Day games on Friday, November 27 at the SCG, with theย Border-Gavaskar Test series to follow, beginning on December 17 at the Adelaide Oval.
