Buoyed by the Test series win against Pakistan, skipper Anil Kumble [ Images ] believes India [ Images ] has the firepower to beat Australia [ Images ] in their own den.

Kumble, who notched up the win in his maiden assignment as captain, said the strength of the side is their batting line-up but they also have bowlers who can take 20 wickets.

"We have the potential to beat Australia because we have the batting line-up to put the runs on the board," Kumble said.

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"And once we have the runs on the board, I believe we have the ability to get 20 wickets," he told CNN-IBN.

The 37-year-old leg spinner said the captaincy came at a time when he thought he had given up hopes of leading the side.

"I thought the chance had passed me, I thought there was a chance when I was vice-captain in 1996," said Kumble, adding that he didn't expect to be made captain even as recently as two months ago.

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"When I became captain, was not in my control, and I think it has come at the right time," said Kumble who recently pipped Mahendra Singh Dhoni [ Images ] for the Test captaincy, after Rahul Dravid [ Images ] had given up the job.

Kumble revealed that he had contemplated retirement several times in the past and that Test captaincy was a "shot in the arm".

The veteran spinner said post-retirement, he would prefer taking up coaching in Bangalore to touring as part of the media.