Veteran members of the Australian cricket team are desperate for victory on Indian soil when the Test series that looms as their final opportunity commences next month, Justin Langer said.

A series triumph in India remains the last frontier for an Australian team that has secured virtually every other accolade in the game.

Bill Lawry captained Australia to a 3-1 victory in the 1969-70 season in India and since then it has been a succession of near misses and disappointments.

None more so than Australia's last tour there in 2000-01, when an early 1-0 series lead ended in a 2-1 loss in one of the best Test match-ups ever.

India was then somewhat unlucky only to draw a four-Test series 1-1 against the world champions in Australia earlier this year.

Test opener Langer turns 34 in November while team-mates Shane Warne (35), Glenn McGrath (34), Darren Lehmann (34) and Adam Gilchrist (32) will all be long gone when Australia is next scheduled to tour India in the 2010-11 season.

Langer, who believes Australia is still comfortably the world's best team, knows the four-Test series commencing next month is many of the team's final chance.

"I think there's no doubt we're the best team in the world," he said.

"The reality is we have beaten everyone and India have to keep beating the other sides to be considered the best in the world.

"But we'll certainly be looking at it as the world title fight.

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• Langer gets a let-off
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© 2003 AAP

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