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We were 50-50, either way we are pretty happy. Feel well placed, pretty fresh. Any format we (India-Australia) play seems fiercely fought. Nathan McSweeney makes our debut at the top of the order.
We are going to bat first, looks like a good wicket. Very confident with our preparation. We played a Test match here in 2018 so we know what to expect. The wicket gets quicker. Nitish makes his debut, Washi is the lone spinner.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy has always been very tight every series, five Test-match series gets really attritional, it's a big one really. Yeah, I think he is there in the auction. I don't think so (it will be a distraction). Dan has flown over there, but he has been here for the whole prep. Done all the meetings, done all the chats, watching it. We came to know that anyway. So, for the players, I don't think so. Most of these guys have been there in the auctions before. They know they can't really do anything. You are a sitting duck and seeing whether you get selected or not. It doesn't... doesn't make a difference to how we go about the first two days. It is not a distraction as far as I can see it.
I love responsibility. I've wanted to do the tough job since I was a child. So you always want to be in the thick of things. You want to be thrown into tough scenarios. This is one of them as well. This adds a new challenge to me. I always want to add more, even when Rohit is there, or when Virat (Kohli) was there. You can't copy anyone. Both of them are very successful, and have gotten a lot of results ... I go with my instincts and that's how I've always played my cricket.