New Delhi, Dec 12 (IANS): India could suffer a whitewash in their upcoming four-match Test series against Australia if they lose the first match, which will be a day-night affair in Adelaide, says former England captain Michael Vaughan.

"India will have to see off that trio of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazelwood and Pat Cummins, they have to nullify that the Kookaburra new ball. If not, Australia will prove to be too strong and powerful. The pink ball Test is the key to the series. If Australia, as they generally do in the Adelaide day-night Test, they have never been beaten with the pink ball. If Australia win that Test match and then India lose Virat Kohli for the next three, this could be 4-0 for Australia," CricBuzz quoted Vaughan as saying.

Vaughan said that Australia are a vastly improved side compared to the one that lost to the Virat Kohli-led India that toured Down Under in 2018-19.

"India two years ago were too strong for Australia in Australian conditions. They were terrific. The bowling attack of (Jasprit) Bumrah, (Mohammed) Shami, Ishant (Sharma) and (Ravichandran) Ashwin, the Wall (Cheteshwar) Pujara, he was the rock in the Indian batting lineup. They were just too good for the Aussies.

"The main reason I believe they were too good was that there was no Smith, no Warner, no Labuschagne. The Australians are now a better Test match team. They held on to the Ashes in England. Tim Paine is improving as a Test-match captain," he said.