The match may not feature skipper Virat Kohli, who has hinted that he wants to go on with his own preparation routine before the Battle Royale.

It could also be a tactical move to ensure that the Australians do not get a sneak peek at his long format preparation.

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For Australia, new sensation Cameron Green will get another chance to impress skipper Tim Paine and coach Justin Langer, while Mitchell Swepson would hope that when the third Test is played at the SCG in the New Year, he is in consideration.

Save Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara in the first essay and Wriddhiman Saha's dour fifty in the second innings, there wasn't much to write home about for India in the opening first-class encounter.

So, this will be the visitors' chance to sort out the combinations, including a decision on whether the 36-Test experience of KL Rahul will gain precedence while opening with Mayank Agarwal, who is a certainty.

Considering Prithvi Shaw's loose technique against quality seam and swing bowling and Shubman Gill still trying to find his feet at the top level, Kohli and head coach Ravi Shastri, at least in the first Test, would like to bank on experience. Similarly, the other question would be whether India can afford to go into the Test carrying five specialist bowlers with perhaps an extra spinner in Kuldeep Yadav.

Kuldeep, among all the players in this team, has more experience of playing with pink ball and the kind of revolution he produces, he could make it difficult for batsmen to spot the black seam of the pink kookaburra under lights.

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