Partnerships will hold the key not just in batting but bowling as well during India's Test clashes with Australia as the hosts cannot really be blown away in a single burst, visiting off-spinner R Ashwin said on Friday.
"You have to stitch together partnerships even when bowling and it's very important to ascertain your role to get what you can out of the game," Ashwin said.
"It's very important to soak together good partnerships as a bowling group then try and knock them over. You won't blow oppositions away, it might happen once in a while - but you have to get your noses ahead and keep it ahead," he said.
Ashwin said he expects the wickets to be flat, which would require his teammates to play "smart cricket through the series."
He also added that bowling in partnerships will be of paramount importance especially since India will be missing a fifth bowler in injured Hardik Pandya.
However he refused to call India the favourites going into this series.
"...Even when Australia came to India they were talking us up, and it looks like more of a strategy for us. I personally think you have to go one day at a time. It's never easy to come over to Australia and win series.
"In the Ashes they almost whitewashed England, knocked them over, and so as far as I'm concerned they are starting favourites," he signed off.