India making wickets to suit them more than ever before, claims Ricky Ponting

"I think they’ll struggle. Every team that goes there struggles. It’s become harder and harder for visiting teams. They’re probably making wickets to suit them more than ever before," Ponting said on Sky Sports Radio.

Under the captaincy of Virat Kohli, India have been in sublime form of late whitewashing New Zealand and beating England 4-0 in back-to-back Test series. Australia, on the other hand, had a torrid time on their last trip to the subcontinent where they were thrashed 3-0 by an average Sri Lankan team. The former Australian captain added that if the tourists gave India a fight in the upcoming series, even a loss would not be a bad result.

“Even looking at what happened in Sri Lanka, whenever the Australian team tours the subcontinent, you’re guaranteed the wicket’s going to turn on day one of the game,” Ponting said.

“Unlike what happened in Sri Lanka, as long as they can find a way to be really competitive through the Test series ... I don’t think it’ll be that big a deal (if Australia lose). It’s a really learning curve for our guys to find a balance between playing the Australian way, the Australian style, and adapting that to Indian conditions.” 

Former Australian captain, Ian Chappell went as far as to say that if David Warner doesn't replicate his current form, Australia do not stand a chance in India.

“I would almost go as far to say that if he doesn’t fire in India, I don’t think Australia’s got much chance,” Chappell said in an interview with Sportsday.

“But if he does, he’ll make it a lot easier for the other guys coming in behind him. Plus, he will give the Indian spinners something to think about, because if he’s there, he’ll be attacking them. That’s something they probably haven’t experienced a lot.”

Australia's tour of India begins on February 23 when the two sides meet in the first Test in Pune.