Australia-India ties from ‘Twenty20’ to ‘Test’ level

Australia had under-appreciated its ties with India for at least the past 25 years, Smith said adding, “Occasionally we have gone in fits and starts like a Twenty20 match.”

“Now we need to make sure we apply ourselves to the Indian relationship as if it were a Test match, day-in and day-out, to take it to a new level and to put it amongst the first order of our international partnerships,” he said.

Mukherjee said, “What we have done today is to look ahead to the new century, one that is full of emerging opportunities.

“I told Foreign Minister Smith … that my visit here unfortunately was very short, almost like a Twenty20 encounter in cricketing terms.”

“Cricket in fact is an essential element underpinning our relations,” he added.

On Friday, during a speech at the University of Western Australia, Smith had said Australia’s relations with India are increasingly interwoven by enhanced people-to-people exchanges in educational, scientific, cultural and sporting areas.

The lawmaker from Perth said his electorate has well-established connections with India through cricket and hockey and cited the case of Pune-born Lisa Sthalekar who is now the Australian women’s cricket team vice-captain.