Australia skipper Steve Smith is determined to secure the one major international cricket trophy his country has never won, but thinks India will be tough to beat when they host the World Twenty20 next month.
The Australia squad, world champions in 50 overs cricket and No1 in the Test world rankings, flew to SA on Sunday to prepare for the March 8 April 3 tournament.
Their best result in the five previous versions came when they reached the 2010 final, however, a 3-0 drubbing by India in a recent Twenty20 series has given them much food for thought.
"On any given day in T20 cricket any side can be dangerous, an individual can take a game away from you," Smith said.
"(But) I think India in Indian conditions are going to be very tough to beat. They’re a very good side as we saw out here in the three Twenty20s we played in Australia so I think they’re going to be right up there."
No Australian cricket captain goes into a tournament believing victory is impossible, though, and Smith is no exception.
"It’s one that’s alluded us, the T20 World Cup, and it would be great to win that trophy, that’s our goal.
"It’s going to be a tough tour in India, in conditions that are foreign to us. But we’ve got the squad to give that tournament a real shake," Smith said.
Deprived of the advantage their pace bowling brings them on home soil, Australia will look more to the batting line-up to make the difference in India even if Smith is not yet sure how it will look.
"I’m not really sure of the make-up of our top three or four yet. There are a lot guys that fill those positions ," Smith said. "We’ve got three games to have a look at that before the World Cup.
"We’ve got some very destructive and talented batters up the top of the order that we can choose from."
Australia get their World Twenty20 campaign under way against New Zealand in Dharamsala on March 18.
