To beat India in India bigger than winning the Ashes: Strauss

[Cricket Tragic]

Having won back to back Ashes series as England captain, Andrew Strauss should have every right to claim and say that he has reached the peak of international cricket, but no, he wants to beat India in India. "Although, we will always value the Ashes, it is important to look beyond, at India and South Africa, to look to defeat these guys consistently, too, home and away," says Strauss. "I've never beaten India in a Test series and, if we want to be the best side in the world, we've got to start by doing that. I'd say to win in India would be bigger than winning the Ashes in Australia because the conditions are even more foreign," he adds. "Winning out there seemed a very difficult thing to do because we had all grown up with England being demolished in Australia, but there are plenty of other challenges. We can't just dwell on that one. It's over," Strauss says.

[kubrickian]

Forget about winning a series, they cant draw a single test in India and I'm saying this without any sort of bias.

[Cricket Tragic]

Any chance of having a few tests in place of the ODI series against England this year in India?

[DomainK]

Whats the source? TOI? Hope not.

[Cricket Tragic]

Whats the source? TOI? Hope not.

The original article is from the Daily Fail but it has a direct quote.

[Sachinism]

Exactly why Ashes were a big deal, they hardly ever won them

[BERGKAMP]

Good to hear this from Strauss if true. Ponting and Waughs great teams always enjoyed beating the weak english teams but it wasn't the be all and end all for them, they also went ahead and demolished all other opposition with the same intensity they showed in the Ashes. Some of the current english are giving too much importance to the ashes. The current Aussie test team is their weakest in 20 years so it is not that hard to defeat them.

[Cricket Tragic]

Good to hear this from Strauss if true. Ponting and Waughs great teams always enjoyed beating the weak english teams but it wasn't the be all and end all for them, they also went ahead and demolished all other opposition with the same intensity they showed in the Ashes. Some of the current english are giving too much importance to the ashes. The current Aussie test team is their weakest in 20 years so it is not that hard to defeat them.

There is the answer.

[cricketlover]

England will be lucky to win a test in India let alone a series. England v India is England on the other hand is even stevens imo

[mishra]

One trip to India => Axed from captaincy. Next trip to India => Axed from team. So his best chance to prolong his career is avoid the trip

[nballa]

conditions are more foreign? didnt stop these guys from ruling india for a 100 yrs. excuses and more excuses.

[Temujin Khaghan]

first step towards winning the war - giving respect to the opposition.

[Karan114]

"Winning out there seemed a very difficult thing to do because we had all grown up with England being demolished in Australia, but there are plenty of other challenges. We can't just dwell on that one. It's over," Strauss says.

Sensible words from Strauss. If English cricket can really get over its Ashes obsession, they might actually have a chance of becoming the best team in the world one day.

[jairamesh]

To beat Pakistan in Pakistan and to come out alive is challenge, ask Sangakkara and co!