Sourav Ganguly's statement that India is ready to replace Australia as the top team in the world has prompted a sharp reaction from Ricky Ponting, who said it would be a long way before the Indian team dethrones the world champions.

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"They have won one Test [in Australia] in 20-odd years. They have got a long way to go before they can start talking like that," said Ponting, smarting under the defeat to India in the Adelaide Test on Tuesday.

"If they think they can be world champions after winning one Test, well, good luck to them," the Australia Test skipper-in-waiting was quoted as saying in a Daily Telegraph report, headlined 'Ponting warns cocky Indians'.

But Ponting was quick to point out that India does have the ability to become a top side.

"They have got the side [to be the number one], they are a good team but there is a long way to go yet."

Still licking the wounds after the shock defeat, Ponting said his side will have to play "extremely well" to prevent another defeat in the series.

"We are going to have to play extremely well to win this series. They [Melbourne and Sydney] are both pretty good batting wickets which the Indians generally play well on," he said.