Pakistan's new coach Geoff Lawson has rated the team's traditional rivalry with cross-border rivals India as the mother of all cricket battles.

The former Australian fast bowler said that to beat India in India is about 10 Ashes series wrapped in one.

"The biggest series of the decade happens in India," said Lawson in a column for the Australia's Sunday Telegraph.

"It's about 10 Ashes series wrapped in one. It's like another war over there," he added.

Pakistan is due to tour India in November and December to play three Tests and five ODIs.

Lawson is due to join the Pakistan team on August 20 and his first assignment with them would be the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa in September followed by the tour to India.

Lawson in his column also expressed astonishment over the Australian hockey team's pull out from the Champions Trophy tournament due to be held in Lahore [Images] in December.

"Sports people in the subcontinent are deities almost. If you are involved in sport, that's the safest situation to be in," he said.

He said he was shocked by the almost misunderstanding of safety in Pakistan.

"There are less concerns than I have going to London [Images] or New York. I was in England [Images] in 2005 when all the bombs went off and that was scary."