India has the edge over Australia: Kumble

Vadodara: Exuding confidence ahead of the coming Test series, captain Anil Kumble said his team has its best chance of turning the tables on an inexperienced Australian side.''Last year, we came close to equal, if not win, the Test series in Australia and in 2004 we lost the Chennai Test on the last day because of rain,'' Kumble, who is here leading the Rest of India side in an Irani Cup tie against Delhi, said yesterday. ''But this time I think we have got a brilliant opportunity.''This Australian side is low on experience.''I think our vast experience and skill will be our advantage and we have to back it with the right result at the end of the series.''All players had adequate rest and the perfect preparation for such a series and we are looking forward to it.'' Kumble said inconsistent performances against other nations, including a series loss earlier this year in Sri Lanka, would not be an obstacle to his players lifting themselves when faced by Ricky Ponting and company.''Sri Lanka was one-off series in which our batters didn't perform well, but against Australia the middle order has done exceptionally well and I'm expecting it to be no exception this time too,'' Kumble said.''They are players who have handled pressure throughout their career. It's a phase that everyone goes through and I believe it's over.''The results we got in the last 10-12 years are thanks to these people.'' Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar is missing the Irani Cup match to rest his elbow and Kumble said the little master would be fit in time to join the Indian camp when it reaches Bangalore ahead of the first Test next month.''Sachin needed time to get 100 per cent fit for the Test series.He is a great player and has done exceptionally well against Australia. The most important thing was to allow him get to that 100 per cent,'' he said.''I'm sure he would join the Bangalore camp ahead of the Test series,'' he added.