India Bigger Than Ashes

[pies4ever]

India 'bigger than Ashes'
From correspondents in Calcutta
FoxSports
May 4, 2004

AUSTRALIAN pace bowler Brett Lee said today that October's four-Test series with India will be bigger than the Ashes, with the winner being crowned the world's unofficial No.1 Test team.

"The Australia-India Tests will be bigger than the Ashes," said Lee.

Lee said the series had replaced the Ashes series between Australia and England - whose arch cricket rivalry launched Test cricket in 1876-77 - as the sport's showpiece contest.

"We have grown up watching the Ashes, but the forthcoming series against India is going to be bigger," said Lee, who is on a business visit to India.

"I consider the four-Test series against India in October as the unofficial Test world championship," he said.

Lee praised India's gritty performance during their recent tour to Australia, where they managed to draw the Test series 1-1 thanks to strong performances from batsmen V.V.S. Laxman, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Sourav Ganguly.

Lee said it was a big challenge to play India on its home turf.

"It needs a lot of grit, and we're expecting a tough fight," he said. "The wickets in the subcontinent are flat and aid spinners.P> "India's got one of the best batting lineups in the world, but it's possible to beat India in India."

He said Australia's recent Test series triumph in Sri Lanka "set a benchmark" and gave the team a huge boost.

Lee, whose appearances against India were curtailed by a spate of injuries, said he is looking forward to playing the series.

"I'm looking forward to playing a full Test series in India, which I've not been able to do because of injuries," he said.

Lee last played a full Test series against India in 1999 in Australia.

The Associated Press