Australia move focus to drawing series in India

Australia's Border-Gavaskar trophy hopes may have gone but Alex Carey believes a drawn Test series in India would be a special achievement for the tourists.

ALEX CAREY of Australia bats during the One Day International series between Australia and India at SCG in Sydney, Australia.
ALEX CAREY of Australia bats during the One Day International series between Australia and India at SCG in Sydney, Australia. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

Wicketkeeper Alex Carey believes a drawn series in India would be a source of immense pride for Australia.

Despite losing the first two Tests to blow any chance of winning their first series in India since 2004, Australia can finish level at 2-2 if they secure a victory in the fourth and final Test in Ahmedabad.

Carey said the group took time to soak in the enormity of winning in Indore on Friday, only Australia's second win from their last 17 Tests in India.

"I think for a lot of us, it's the first tour over here (to India) so we came over here wanting to win games and win the series," Carey said.

"For the older guys, they've been over here a few times now, so just reinforcing the other night how special that win was for them and for this playing group.

"It's 'Kuhny's' (spinner Matt Kuhnemann) second game so he probably thinks it's just what happens."

Despite being comprehensively outplayed in Nagpur and then blowing their shot at winning the second Test in Delhi, Australia failed to give up on the tour.

Captain Pat Cummins returned home to be with his seriously ill mother after the loss in the Indian capital and is unlikely to be back for the Ahmedabad finale.

"I think the resilience after the first two games where it didn't go to plan, but we played good periods of cricket, we had opportunities to win so we never lost confidence in that," Carey said.

"It is one game over here and we want to back that up and finish this series off in a really positive way.

"If we can win two Tests over here, we know how special that will be.

"So we're excited, we were happy with the result but we're still focused that there's another game to go."

Australia will leave Indore on Monday for Ahmedabad ahead of the fourth Test, starting on Thursday at the 132,000-seat capacity Narendra Modi Stadium.