PUNE: Having turned the tables on India in spectacular fashion in the first Test, Australian captain Steven Smith believes his team can get better and has set his eyes on winning a series in the subcontinent after a gap of more than 12 years.
“I wouldn’t say it was perfect. We did a lot of things right in this Test, that’s for sure. But there are still areas that we can improve on,” Smith said after the win on Saturday .
The last time the Aussies won a series in India was in 2004-05. Smith, a cricket with a keen sense of history, didn’t need a reminder.
“Coming to India, we haven’t won a game here in 4,502 days,” the visiting skipper said, referring to their victory in Nagpur on a green-tinged track at the VCA ground.
Smith has his eyes firmly set on replicating the success of the side led by Ricky Ponting. “But it’s going to be a tough road, we know India are going to come back incredibly hard. They’re an amazing team particularly in their own backyard. And we’ve got to be ready for it.”
It’s a remarkable turnaround for Australia and Smith personally after he flew back home midway through the ODI series in Sri Lanka in August last year.