We will not be intimidated by Australia - Ganguly

Sourav Ganguly says India will have extra motivation in their four-Test series against Australia because it will be the last trip to the country for several of the squad's veterans. Ganguly said the tensions between the two sides during their recent ODI series in India were in the past and India would not be intimidated when the Tests begin on Boxing Day.

Ganguly, 35, is looking forward to what will almost certainly be his last Test tour of Australia. It might also be the final visit for Sachin Tendulkar, 34, Rahul Dravid, 34, VVS Laxman, 33, and the captain Anil Kumble, 37.

"This is motivation. A number of guys will not be back to Australia, so we want to play good cricket," Ganguly told the Sunday Telegraph. "The challenge for us is handling the Australian conditions.

"We have not been so good away from home but we have been a lot more consistent in the past couple of years and that has given us confidence. It's important we start well. If we can win in Melbourne, that will give us some good momentum."

Ganguly and India are in good form at the moment - India are 1-0 up in their Test series against Pakistan and Ganguly has scored two centuries. But he said succeeding in Australia was a very different prospect from playing well at home.

"Winning in Australia is always difficult but we are confident," he said. "This is probably the most experienced Indian team to come to Australia in quite a while - we know what to expect from them."

Although the most recent contest between the two teams was dominated by confrontations between players - notably Andrew Symonds and Sreesanth, who will miss the tour with a shoulder injury - Ganguly was confident India could handle anything Australia dish out. "That is not a worry for us," he said.

"What happened in India for me is in the past, but for Australia, maybe not. They will try to pressure us and they may say some things but we have many senior players who can handle that."

India begin their visit with a three-day tour match against Victoria starting on December 20. The four-Test series then begins on Boxing Day in Melbourne before Sydney, Perth and Adelaide host their Tests in January.