"I'm really hopeful Sachin will play," he said. "There are still eight or nine days before the first Test and if he declares himself fit he is playing."

"When a big name like Sachin is absent it does affect the team," he told reporters on Monday.

Tendulkar missed the ICC Champions Trophy because of tennis elbow and is still uncertain whether he will be available for the first of the four Tests, starting in Bangalore on October 6.

The national selectors have asked the rest of the players, rattled by batting failures in recent one-dayers, to play a four-day game against India 'A' from Tuesday before they name the squad for the first Test.

Ganguly predicted another close series but hoped his team would get to play on spin-friendly pitches.

"All wickets have been relaid," he said. "But we would like to have spinning tracks."

India upset the world's top side with a comeback 2-1 victory in 2001 and then drew a four-Test series 1-1 in 2003-4.

Australia's tour of India - Complete coverage