Kolkata: Former India cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly on Saturday said Australia will find it difficult to beat India at home when the visitors, without pace spearhead Mitchell Starc, come calling in September for five One Day Internationals (ODIs) and three Twenty20s (T20Is).

“It won’t be easy to beat India in India,” Ganguly said when asked whether Starc’s unavailability for the series would further aid Virat Kohli’s men.

India start a five-match ODI series against Sri Lanka from Sunday after completing a 3-0 whitewash in the Test format.

Asked whether the Islanders will meet a similar fate, Ganguly said: “Very likely. India can hand another drubbing to Sri Lanka.”