One of the best achievements would be the series win in India: Allan Border

Former Australian captain Allan Border, who’s name is used for the trophy between Australia and India said a Test series win in India would mean the world for Steve Smith and his boys. It would also go down as one of the “very best achievement” in Australian cricketing history.

Border did not give this Australian side a chance after their dismal performance in the Test series against Sri Lanka where the team put up a pathetic display against the spin of Sri Lankan left-arm bowler Rangana Herath. The series finale will be played at Dharamsala, a ground which has traditionally favoured the quicks and it is a real opportunity for the visitors to register their first series win in India in a decade.

Border, recalls the 4-0 Ashes win in 1989 as one of his best moments in his career, with a team that was described as “possibly the worst side ever to tour England.”

“It’s right up there with the very best achievements by any team, because (winning in India) has been the holy grail of Australian cricket. It would be unbelievable,” Border told foxsports.com.au.

“We talk about the Ashes and what that means, but we go through little periods where you don’t win there and then you win them back and it’s all fantastic. “But it has been achieved before both home and away, whereas India is one of those places where we’ve had such little success going right, right back.”

The former captain still remembers the series as a watershed moment in his career. Similar to the 1989 Ashes series, the Australian side led by Steve Smith began as underdogs for the India tour.

He went on to commend Australia’s fifth-day batting display in the Ranchi Test as a huge victory for the visitors. As a critic who ruled out Australia’s chances in India, Border is proud of the performance shown by the Aussies, in particular, the first Test where they spun the Indians out twice in the span of three days.