Winning a Test series on Indian soil remains one of the toughest challenges for the Australian cricket team. Over the years, they have struggled in the spin-friendly Indian conditions.

Notably, Australia have not won a Test series in India since 2004. Prior to that, they won a Test series on Indian soil way back in 1969.

Despite the poor track record, batting legend Greg Chappell is expecting the Pat Cummins-led Australian side to conquer the India challenge in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy, starting February 9 in Nagpur.

According to Chappell, Australia can win the four-match Test series as the hosts are "vulnerable" this time round with injuries to key players like Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah.  

While Pant will be out of action for most part of the year after sustaining injuries in a horrific car crash last December, Bumrah is yet to fully recover from the back injury and doesn’t feature in India’s squad for the first two Tests.

"Australia can win this series. India are more vulnerable at home than they have been for some time due to injuries to key players like Rishbah Pant, Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah. They will rely heavily on Virat Kohli," Chappell wrote in an opinion piece for 'Sydney Morning Herald'.

Jadeja, who recently made a return to competitive cricket after recovering from knee injury, is part of the Indian squad for the first two Tests against Australia.

"Visiting teams are often fooled by a game that seems to be going nowhere but suddenly changes at a frenetic pace. The Indians are used to this, so Australia will need to adapt quickly with mind, bat and ball," said the former India coach.

Australia have picked Nathan Lyon, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Swepson, and uncapped Todd Murphy as spin-bowling options in the 18-member squad for the India tour.

As per Chappell, left-arm tweaker Agar should be preferred to partner Lyon on turning tracks.

"Should the pitches favour spin, which is more likely, I expect Ashton Agar to get the nod because finger spin is considered to be more accurate," said the 74-year-old.

"Anil Kumble who took 619 wickets in Test cricket, rarely strayed off the straight and narrow. His stock in trade were fast, flat leg breaks which were always threatening the stumps. Batters knew if they missed, they were in trouble. Jadeja's stock in trade is similarly unerring."