Kirsten gets brother's backing

Gary Kisten leads India's training session in Bangalore ahead of the first Test there

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Former South Africa Test and one-day batsman Peter Kirsten believes his half-brother and India coach Gary Kirsten can further upset the balance of power in international cricket when his side face Australia in their upcoming Test series.

India, who are slight favourites with bookmakers to win the four-Test series beginning in Bangalore on Thursday, have been maintaining a constant challenge to the dominance of an Australian side who have ruled the international cricket roost for the last decade.

Kirsten senior, currently in action in the ICC World Cricket League Group Four qualifying campaign in Tanzania as coach of Channel Island side Jersey, is backing his younger sibling to come out on top in the latest tussle between the two cricketing heavyweights - the last of which ended in a 2-1 defeat for India in March this year.

"He has a lot of challenges but he is doing really well. He and the team are desperate to win the series against Australia having lost their most recent series against Sri Lanka,” Kirsten said.

“Australia have been the top team for many years but India have the chance to change that.

“They have lost the leverage of a lot of their players, the likes of Adam Gilchrist, Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne. Andrew Symonds is also not in the side for the India series so Australia might well have problems in terms of the balance of their team.”

Peter Kirsten, who played 12 Tests and 40 one-dayers for South Africa after their readmission to international cricket in 1991, is confident 40-year-old Gary can lead India to their first series victory over Australia since 2001.

“We still speak quite often and I'm in touch with what is happening over there. We often compare notes but he doesn't need my advice, he has a wealth of international experience so he has all the bases covered,” he said.

"He has a lot of challenges but he is doing really well. It's a big series for him but he is enjoying it and learning a heck of a lot both on and off the field.

“I'm quite the Indian supporter these days with Gary being there and I would love for him to do well.”