A quarter century after debuting against India in the Boxing Day Test, Brett Lee believes the Border-Gavaskar Trophy now rivals the Ashes as Australia’s most important series.

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The champion bowler, who became the first Australian since Dennis Lillee to take five wickets in an innings on debut in a stunning effort at the MCG, argues a case can be made to say it is bigger than the clashes against England given the focus on the series.

“I would say it is definitely right up there. As a young kid, for me, it was all about the Ashes. To wear the ‘Baggy Green’ and to have the chance to play against England was where it was,” he said.

“Whereas now, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, you think about the viewership – there are 1.5 billion people in India who all love cricket – and there are a million people of south-Asian heritage here in Australia. And they all love cricket, so it is definitely right up there, if not even bigger.”

Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley, who spoke at the Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports Summer of Cricket launch in Melbourne on Tuesday, is predicting the series beginning on Friday in Perth will sit among the most watched of all-time.

“I think this is going to be the most watched series, certainly on TV, but I think the same goes in terms of people at the ground,” he said.

“We have got to remember it’s the first time in over 30 years that we’ve played five Test matches against India, which is great because it means all the big cities, everyone’s going to be able to come along.

“Ticket sales are up 150 per cent on this time the last time we were able to open the gates, so it’s going to be huge.”

Lee believes India’s famous triumph in the second Test in Kolkata in 2001, which is being profiled on foxsports.com.au and on Fox Cricket ahead of the series opener, set the tone for what has become a fascinating rivalry.

“I have been going to India for 30 years now and just the way it has changed, I pinpoint it to when VVS Laxman and Dravid batted for the whole day, and that really turned the tide for (India), I think,” he said.

“They believed that they could not only match Australia but beat Australia as well. Then that belief – obviously the superstar foundation laid by the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, (Rahul) Dravid and (VVS) Laxman and now the (Virat) Kohli’s of the day.”

The spotlight is on Kohli, who has performed brilliantly against Australia but has dipped in form over the past couple of seasons. But Lee has no doubt the champion will fire.

He said it would be a mistake to offer Kohli any additional motivation to succeed as India seek to continue their decade-long hold on the Border Gavaskar Trophy.

“There has been a lot of speculation and conjecture around Kohli’s form and I can promise you that when he gets out here, he will be raring to go, because he is a superstar,” he said.

“It is an old cliche where you don’t want to try to play against the name. You try to treat him, with all due respect, as (another) batsman. And it was the same when I was bowling against Sachin Tendulkar. You can get overawed by the stature of the guy and the history and what he has achieved, but the thing with Kohli is that he loves to get into a scrap. And I mean that in a nice way. He loves to get himself up for the competition.

“I think the captains I played under – Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh – were very, very similar, so from a bowling point of view, you don’t want to fire these guys up. You want to stay in your lane and try to get them out early.

“I have been on the receiving end many, many times of a Sachin Tendulkar hundred, or a Kohli hundred, so you have to pitch the ball up and get them to nick it off early. I would not be chirping him.”

Lee is hopeful the series is alive come the final Test in Sydney but said the first two matches of the series in Perth and Adelaide will provide a proper indication as to what will unfold.

“I think it is going to be nice and close,” he said.

“I would love, from a cricket point of view and from a fan point of view, to get to Sydney and hopefully look at it being maybe 2-all in Sydney and going down to the last session.

“But in all honesty, I think it comes down to the first two Tests. The first session will really determine how Australia are going to play and what their intent is and how India will come out and go on these nice, fast, bouncy wickets.”