Indo-Pak Clash Is 10 Ashes Wrapped Into One - Geoff Lawson

It is not exactly music to a fellow Aussie's ears, but that did not deter newly-appointed coach Geoff Lawson from terming the forthcoming India-Pakistan clash as 'nothing short of a war' and '10 Ashes rolled into one'.
He went a step further, saying Pakistan's tour of India in November-December this year would be the biggest series of the decade - much bigger and bitterly fought than 10 Ashes battles put together.
"The biggest series of the decade happens in India," said Lawson.
"Australia might be no.1 and to beat them would be fantastic, but to beat India in India, it's about 10 Ashes series wrapped in one.
"It's like another war over there," the former Australian pace bowler said, knowing fully well the bitter hostilities the arch-rivals share.
Although Lawson is looking forward to Australia's first tour of Pakistan in almost 10 years, next March, he admits his first major test at the helm of Pakistan will be the tour of neighbouring India later this year.
The 50-year-old Lawson said he plans to contact Greg Chappell about the pitfalls of coaching in the sub-continent, inspite of the former Team India coaches' 22-month tenure were marred by clashes with senior players.
"I think the Indian experience is a little different to Pakistan, but I've got Greg on my list to call," Lawson told Fox Sports.
When asked how he would take to burning of his effigies by Pakistan fans, he replied "It's neither here nor there to me. It's never been done before, I suppose, so there's a first time for everything.
"The fans of the sub-continent tend to be in fifth gear or reverse. You`ve got to accept that's the way they are."
That security was an aspect playing on his mind was amply clear when he said "In the end, we're all playing a game. I suppose when you talk about burning effigies, the next step is security."
Lawson arrives in Pakistan on August 22 but will take the team to Kenya as a warm-up for the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa from September 11.
Although he once harboured hopes of coaching the Australian team, he admitted that it was more challenging to coach the Pakistan team than world champions Australia.
"Coaching Australia I don't think is all that big a challenge, but coaching Pakistan certainly is."
"If you really want to test your mettle as a coach I think it's elsewhere other than Australia."
He reiterated that he wanted to turn Pakistan into a world-beating side, saying "This is a challenge to make Pakistan the best cricket team they can be, and they can be no1."
"At the same time, there's some selfishness in it - I want to go out and show people i can coach at that level - but it's not necessarily a stepping stone anywhere," he concluded.