India and Australia will engage in a four-Test series, beginning in Pune from February 23.
Aware of the stiff challenge awaiting them in the upcoming Test series, Australia captain Steven Smith said winning in India will go down as the 'best time of life' for the players of his team.
Factbox on the four-Test series between India and Australia, which starts on Thursday:
FIXTURES:
1st Test - Feb. 23-27, Pune
2nd Test - March 4-8, Bengaluru
3rd Test - March 16-20, Ranchi
4th Test - March 25-29, Dharamsala
INDIA
Test ranking: 1
Captain: Virat Kohli
Coach: Anil Kumble
Squad: Kohli, Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha (wicketkeeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Karun Nair, Jayant Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Abhinav Mukund, Hardik Pandya
Recent form:
Beat Bangladesh in one-off home Test
Beat England 4-0 in five-match home series
Beat New Zealand 3-0 in three-match home series
Beat West Indies 2-0 in four-match away series
AUSTRALIA
Test ranking: 2
Coach: Darren Lehmann
Captain: Steven Smith
Squad: Smith (captain), David Warner, Matt Renshaw, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Wade, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird, Nathan Lyon, Stephen O'Keefe, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Swepson
Recent form:
Beat Pakistan 3-0 in three-match home series
Lost to South Africa 2-1 in three-match home series
Lost to Sri Lanka 3-0 in three-match away series
Beat New Zealand 2-0 in two-match away series
HEAD TO HEAD:
Total: 90
Australia wins: 40
India wins: 24
Draws: 25
Tied: 1
IN INDIA:
Total matches: 46
India wins: 19
Australia wins: 12
Draws: 14
Tied: 1
Last eight Tests:
Sydney Jan, 2015 Drawn
Melbourne Dec, 2014 Drawn
Brisbane Dec, 2014 Australia won by four wickets
Adelaide Dec, 2014 Australia won by 48 runs
Delhi March, 2013 India won by six wickets
Mohali March, 2013 India won by six wickets
Hyderabad March, 2013 India won by an innings and 135 runs
Chennai Feb, 2013 India won by eight wickets
