Australia batsman Usman Khawaja feels playing against India behind closed doors in the much-anticipated test series might end up being an advantage for the home side. The Australian cricket team is scheduled to host India at the end of the year.

Cricket Australia is desperate for the tour which s scheduled for December and January. Australia’s cricket governing council want’s the series to go ahead as the lucrative Indian TV rights for the series will ease the financial crisis on them.

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Speaking with Fox Sports News, Khawaja said, “It’s definitely an advantage. I remember the last time they came over for a one-day series, the roar for India was much bigger. Especially in Melbourne, the number of expats they have over there, they flock in. And when India’s on top they really let you know it.”

Khawaja commented, “It’s a really weird feeling. When you’re in India, you expect to be outnumbered massively but you can be outnumbered in Melbourne, as well as Sydney to some extent also.”

Back during the 2018-19 season, Virat Kohli Led India to their first-ever test series triumph on Australian soil. Australia was missing their two best batsmen in Steve Smith and David Warner. The duo was banned from international cricket for a year because of the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa. Khawaja feels their inclusion this time around would make for a different series this year.

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Khawaja added, “They were clearly the better team last time.  We hung in there but (Cheteshwar) Pujara was outstanding and Kohli led from the front as a captain. Their bowling unit was as good as I’ve ever seen an Indian bowling unit, they really went toe-to-toe with our bowlers. Our bowlers are still in great form, though, and this time Steve Smith and Davy Warner will be in the side too, so a little bit of difference in the batting line-up.”