India gears up for series against Australia

Mumbai:

Indian cricket team, which got knocked out in the first stage of the Champions Trophy in South Africa, started its preparations in earnest on Tuesday for the upcoming seven-match ODI series against Australia.

Barring Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Ishant Sharma, the other members of the team had a stint at the Mumbai Cricket Association's Bandra-Kurla Complex this afternoon.

Overseeing the preparation was coach Gary Kirsten, who arrived in Mumbai this afternoon from South Africa.

The Australian squad, led by Ricky Ponting, too reached the Indian shores today and is set to have a two-day practice session at the BKC from tomorrow ahead of the first ODI at Vadodara on October 25.

Both the teams are scheduled to leave for Vadodara on October 23.

The other ODIs are scheduled at Nagpur (Oct 28), Delhi (Oct 31), Mohali (Nov 2), Hyderabad (Nov 5), Guwahati (Nov 8) and Mumbai (Nov 11).

Australia, who retained the Champions Trophy, had beaten India 4-2 (one match ending in no result) in the last ODI series played between the two sides in this country two years ago.