Smith warns his team of 'difficult series' in India

After successfully completing the clean-sweep against Pakistan today, Australia skipper Steve Smith has urged his new revamped team to switch focus to the upcoming "tough tour" of India.
Having beaten Pakistan 3-0, Australia are now gearing up for a gruelling four-Test series against India in India, starting next month, and the captain said unless his boys adapt quickly to the sub-continent conditions, it would be difficult.
"It's a completely different place to play, playing on those wickets is nothing like playing here in Australia. Guys will have to adapt quickly and find a way to be successful in those conditions," Smith said.

With the inclusion of young batsmen like Matthew Renshaw and Peter Handscomb, Australia did well against Pakistan and Smith feels a new set of players may help deal with the mental scars of past tours to India.
The Aussies have not won a Test match in India since 2004 and have lost the last seven.
"It helps in a way (with the new guys), but the guys also haven't experienced the conditions as well which is going to be a tough one too," Smith told reporters here.

Smith was a member of the Australian team that was hammered 4-0 in India in 2013.

"It's going to be a very difficult series going over there. We're under no illusions it's going to be tough. We're going to have to play some very good cricket if we want to compete over there. It's going to be a great challenge and learning curve for this group," said Smith.
Smith said the Aussies would have to play out their skin to win a series
(REOPENS DEL 44)
Smith said in the hindsight he thinks they should have taken a review call when Shaun Marsh was dismissed by Umesh Yadav. Marsh had shouldered arms to Yadav's delivery and was hit on the pads in the off stump region.

"Regarding Shaun's one - we were not sure entirely. I sort of said "go" as in "go have a look at it" and he sort of turned around and started walking, so I should've probably put my hands up and done it. Obviously we saw the replay and it was missing the stumps. It would have been a nice one to review," he said.
"It could have been important. Shaun was looking pretty good, so disappointing wicket at that time. That is the game of cricket and we got to move on from there."
Smith also had words of praise for Indian pace duo.

"Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma were very good, particularly in the first innings. It was very hard to score off them. At times they looked very dangerous of taking wickets as well."
Smith said it was a "difficult task" to get 188.
"What we did this morning that was needed of us to do yesterday but credit to the guys who came out and did it today. We know that the world class bowlers that India have. Ashwin had to work for wickets but it was certainly suiting him," he said.
"On a day four wicket, it is pretty challenging. You need things to go your way and a little bit of luck and today wasn't our day. We competed very hard and this morning we bowled very well, got the breakthroughs that we needed, but 188 will always be a difficult task.

"We probably needed one or three batsmen to stand up for us a little bit and try and get close to that score. We were not able to do so, but we have played some very good cricket," he signed off.