The anticipation around the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy is palpable. India are Australia are slated to square off in a five-match Test series for the first time in over three decades.
The marquee series is set to begin on November 22 in Perth, and leading Australian pacer Mitchell Stac believes the five-Test affair would be "right on par" with the revered Ashes series for his team.
"Being five matches now it's probably right on par with an Ashes series," Starc told Wide World of Sports.
India have won the last two Test series in Australia and held the coveted Border-Gavaskar Trophy since claiming it in March 2017.
Starc doesn’t only want to break this trend but also has ambitions of a clean sweep against the star-studded Indian team.
"We always want to win every game at home and we know India are a very strong team," the left-arm pacer said.
The team that claims the series could be well poised to earn a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord’s next year. India are currently leading the points table, followed by the reigning champions Australia.
"As we're placed at the minute we're the top two teams on the Test ladder... so a very exciting series coming up for the fans and certainly the players.
"Hopefully when we're sitting there on the 8th of January we have that trophy back on our shores."
Mitchell Starc, 34, is just 11 matches away from completing a milestone of playing 100 Tests and he has no intention to quit red-ball cricket.
"...every time I get to wear the baggy green cap it feels very special. Hopefully it's five times through the summer with five wins and we can sing that song five times, then we move on from there.
"If it does come to a point where I'm lucky enough to get past that 100 number then it's obviously going to be pretty special as well," he said.
Starc is due to tour England next month for a white-ball series following which he wants to play domestic cricket for New South Wales to fine-tune his preparations for the Border Gavaskar Trophy.
"The Tests will always be taking precedence for me," he said. "We've got seven Tests on the bounce with five against India and then two in Sri Lanka, so they sit top of the tree with what's coming up."
Alongside Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood are the integral part of the Australia pace attack across three formats.
"Pat is resting for this UK tour... we love playing all three formats but that could look different at different times over 12 months."
"There is certainly no end date on (our bowling careers). That will be an ongoing one. We'll see where (our) bodies are and the want to keep going, but at this stage it's all guns blazing for five Tests against India."
(With PTI Inputs)
