Australian Test captain Pat Cummins says his team has learnt “a heap” during the tours of Pakistan and Sri Lanka and getting a taste of sub-continent conditions should help his relatively inexperienced players during next year’s marquee series in India.

After notching up a comprehensive 10-wicket win in the series opener, Australia lost by an innings and 39 runs in the second Test as Sri Lanka drew the series 1-1 on Monday.

Cummins feels the defeat was a “reality check.” Before Sri Lanka, Australia had toured Pakistan, beating the hosts 2-0 in the three-match Test series in March. “I think half our batting line-up and half our bowling line-up hasn’t played a lot over here in the sub-continent.

So on these two vastly different wickets, I think we got a lot of lessons out of it to take to India next year,” Cummins was quoted as saying by Sydney Morning Herald.’

“We turned up knowing it’s a tough place to win the series and games over here, So to come away with a series draw — the same team that won last week — we ground it out in Pakistan to come through with a series win.

“It might be a reality check that it’s tough playing away from home in different conditions,” he added.

“We’ll review this series, try to put away lots of notes and ideas and work towards the home summer,” he said.

Australia are scheduled to tour India next year where they will play four Tests, as part of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in February-March.