Colombo, Aug 6: India's tour of Australia will be the toughest for the Michael Clarke-led team this year, according to Ricky Ponting.

Australia have tours of Sri Lanka, South Africa and New Zealand before they face India in December, but the former captain said that Australia-India series have always been one of cricket's biggest and most volatile clashes.

"I think they're a lot different when they play us and (Indian captain M. S.) Dhoni himself has made that pretty clear. He says he's a walker against everybody except Australia. We'll wait and see how they go out here," The Daily Telegraph quoted Ponting, as saying.

"It will be a good contest. Every contest we've had against them for 10 years has been a good contest, whether it was Twenty20, one-day or a Test match, it's been great cricket," he added.

Australia will play four Test matches against India, starting with the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne. The final Test will be held in Adelaide.

It will be India's first tour Down Under since the controversial tour in 2007-2008.

Sydney's Olympic Park will host one of the two Twenty20 matches.

Australia and India will also play an ODI tri-series with Sri Lanka in February.

It will start on February 5 with Brisbane and Adelaide hosting the finals. (ANI)