Ponting hopes to change horror script in India

Ponting, who averages 54.66 overall, has rarely tasted success in India during his illustrious career. He has scored 438 runs in 12 Tests in India with just one century, averaging 20.85.

"It's a place that I've never mastered. I've never mastered batting in these conditions," the Australian skipper told reporters on Thursday.

"I felt that in the last series over here (in 2008), I took some really big strides in becoming a better player on the subcontinent. My first hundred in Bangalore at the start of the series was satisfying.

"I made 80-odd in Delhi. There were some positive signs for me last time and learning a bit more about the conditions and the Indian bowlers gives me a chance to hopefully have a good series."

Ponting said his team were keen to seize the early initiative as it would not be easy to bounce back into the short series.

"You don't want to be going behind in a two-Test series, that's for sure. It's hard to work your way back into it from there," he said.

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