Anil Kumble: We would treat Australia like any other team

Indian cricket team has been enjoying a stellar run-of-form that has seen them defeating West Indies (away), New Zealand, England, and Bangladesh (home) in four consecutive series. The Virat Kohli-led side has been termed as invincible on home conditions- by media and former cricketers. On being asked about that, Kumble chose to play a rather modest card.

"We respect every opposition. We spoke about this even before the season started with New Zealand. England was tougher. We all know the Australian team. They are really professional, but I would like to treat them as any other team," Kumble said.

"I don't think we need to attach any other significance to this series other than what we need to do to tick all those boxes we have been doing over last six to eight months.

"They are a good side, have some good batters and bowlers. The approach they tend to take is to be aggressive. We are aware of it and we will put together strategies in place to counter that," he added.

Contrary to the past, India’s success at home hasn’t come on rank turners, rather at proper sportive wickets, and Kumble said that the trend will not be any different in the series against Australia as well.

"We keep countering these types of questions at the start of the series or match, saying how is the pitch and what do you think about the toss," Kumble said. "If you look back at the nine Tests that we've played at home, each one has had its own challenges. We've played at venues where Test cricket hasn't been played before.

"In that sense, this team is capable of adjusting and adapting to whatever challenges come up. I'm really satisfied with the way things have gone. On the last day of the Test match in Chennai, I don't think many gave India a chance to win the Test, let alone after England scored almost 500 runs in the first innings. Even in Mumbai, it was a similar case, where we lost the toss and they put 400 runs and we won by an innings," he said.

Kumble was central to India’s domination at home in the 1990s, and during the twilight of his career, he took over the captaincy of Indian cricket team and laid a foundation for the run of results that would see them assume the No. 1 ranking in Tests in December 2009 – a year after his retirement. And now, he, as the coach of the Indian cricket team, has taken India to unprecedented heights again.

Asked which one feels actually sweet, the former leg-spinner said, “You can’t compare my playing days to now,” he said. “Things have changed. I’m really privileged that I’ve had a chance to work with this young lot over the last ten months, to see them grow, understand and come up with solutions."

Kumble also explained the rationale behind the Indian team's strategy of constantly shifting the team's composition - Kohli has not played the same XI in any two consecutive matches since he took over two years back.

“At the end of the day, you want the team to be self-sufficient. You don’t want people to keep looking behind their shoulder for advice. That’s what I’m trying to create, an environment where each one learns from the other and then tries to find a solution on the field and off it as well. That’s what has been really encouraging for me as a coach, and that’s what I have seen over the last ten months with this group of players.

“I don’t think any two Test matches have had the same playing XI. And that’s been the beauty of this team. It doesn’t matter who is playing. At the end of the day, whoever is part of the XI has contributed. And whoever is not and is a part of the squad, he’s also contributed. And that’s why we’ve had the larger squad, to tell them: ‘Look, it doesn’t matter, you’re still a part of this team because only 11 can play.’ But the other four or five are all part of the set-up. That augurs well.”