'To beat India in India bigger than winning the Ashes'

Having won back to back Ashes series, Andrew Strauss, as England captain, should have every right to claim and say that he has reached the peak of international cricket, but no, he wants to beat India in India.

Why? Because he thinks it is bigger than winning the Ashes.

According to the Daily Mail, Strauss regards taking India on in his and their backyard is the next level of development for measuring England's progress as a cricketing nation.

"Although, we will always value the Ashes, it is important to look beyond, at India and South Africa, to look to defeat these guys consistently, too, home and away," says Strauss.

"I've never beaten India in a Test series and, if we want to be the best side in the world, we've got to start by doing that. I'd say to win in India would be bigger than winning the Ashes in Australia because the conditions are even more foreign," he adds.

"Winning out there seemed a very difficult thing to do because we had all grown up with England being demolished in Australia, but there are plenty of other challenges. We can't just dwell on that one. It's over," Strauss says.

Strauss was speaking ahead of the release of his book -- Winning The Ashes Down Under: The Captain's Story -- on May 26.