India have won a record ninth Test series in a row, drawing level with Australia, and are the top-ranked team in the ICC Test rankings. And coach Ravi Shastri credits this surge with a series that India ended up losing – against Australia back in 2014-15.

The head coach said that the tough fight that Virat Kohli and Co put up Down Under gave the team immense confidence, which was the built on in Sri Lanka where India won the series despite losing the first Test.

“It started in Australia in 2014 and carried home in Sri Lanka, when we lost a Test match after dominating for three and a half days. That opened the eyes for everybody. There was a stage where we sat in the dressing room for two hours after a game, where each player questioned himself. It was looking into a mirror. We said that we will never go to play cricket like that. They were very honest with themselves and the boys said they would never be tentative again,” Shastri told a news channel on Monday.

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“The brand that people saw in Australia was something that they hadn’t seen for a long, long time from an Indian team. And it showed in the World Cup and the World Cup that happened after that, the great run we had, till we lost in the semis, was thanks to that tour,” he added.

The team is now gunning for a tenth straight win as they prepare for an overseas series in South Africa. While many are questioning India’s domination abroad after an extended home season, Shastri is confident that India will respond to the challenge.

“Where South Africa is different is that we haven’t won a series in South Africa. Therein lies a massive opportunity for the team to do something special. The belief is there. We are going there and we will treat South Africa like we treat any other opposition we have played against. There will be respect but we will go there to win,” he added.

India play the first Test against South Africa on January 5 in Cape Town.