Varun Aaron (fast bowler) Tests: 3 Bowling average: 47.37

Injuries have severely curtailed Varun Aaron’s international opportunities to date but the fast bowler returned to the one-day international side in 2014 and put himself in line for an ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 berth.

The 25-year-old made headlines when he clocked 153kph in domestic cricket in 2010-11 and not long after made his ODI debut against England in late 2011.

Aaron was forced out of the ODI series against Sri Lanka in November due to a quadriceps injury.

Looks to have bounced back with intent since arriving in Australia, performing well in India’s two tour matches by bowling quickly and taking eight wickets to put himself in line for a first Test call-up.

Aaron appeals for a wicket against CA XI // Getty Images

Ravi Ashwin (off-spinner) Tests: 21 Bowling average: 28.65

Since his Test debut against West Indies in 2011, Ravi Ashwin has quickly secured a place as India’s spinner of choice across all three formats.

Renowned for his quality variations as well as his often sharp-turning off-spin, Ashwin ran through the Australians in the four-Test series in India in February-March 2013, claiming 29 wickets.

In India’s last tour to Australia though, he was far less effective, managing nine wickets in three Tests at an average of 62.78.

Ashwin is more than handy with the bat in the lower order, having scored two Test hundreds.

Ravindra Jadeja (allrounder) Tests: 12 Bowling average: 30.37 Batting average: 21.41

After three years in the coloured clothes for India, Ravindra Jadeja finally earned his Test call-up in 2012.

The left-arm orthodox spinner and accomplished left-handed batsman has impressed with his performances in limited-overs cricket since making his one-day international debut in 2009 against Sri Lanka and has secured his place as a key player in the India ODI line-up.

Jadeja took three wickets on Test debut before playing in the 2013 Test series against Australia, in which he claimed 24 wickets and proved a particular headache for Australia captain Michael Clarke, dismissing him five out of six innings.

Had much less impact in England earlier this year, taking nine wickets across four Tests, and took a tidy 1-12 in the warm-up match against CA XI earlier this week.

Dhawan and Jadeja in Glenelg yesterday // Getty Images

Shikhar Dhawan (opening batsman) Tests: 10 Batting average: 38.58

Dhawan made a spectacular Test debut against Australia in 2013 when he smashed 187 off 174 balls.

He’s only played nine Test since, adding a century in Auckland against New Zealand to that memorable first-up effort and averaging 38.58.

The left-hander only managed scores of 0 and 10 in India’s two warm-up matches since arriving in the country, but was in impressive touch immediately beforehand, scoring two fifties and a century in the final three ODIs against Sri Lanka.

MS Dhoni Tests: 88 Batting average: 38.46 Dismissals: 280

Inspirational captain, brilliant batsman and skilled wicketkeeper. There has been no shortage of accolades for MS Dhoni since he made his international debut in 2004.

The problem for the 33-year-old however is that which faces many international captains in the modern game: how to win Test matches away from home. It was one he could not overcome during his one trip to Australia as captain in 2011-12, when his side suffered a humiliating four-nil series defeat.

This time around, Dhoni has been presented with another challenge: racing to be fit for the first Test. Initially ruled out of the opener, the rescheduling has added uncertainty as to whether he will take his place in the contest beginning Tuesday at Adelaide Oval.

Virat Kohli (middle-order batsman) Tests: 29 Batting average: 39.47

Kohli announced himself as a Test player with a century in Australia on India’s last tour Down Under, in 2011-12, and was one of very few shining lights for the tourists in a four-nil series defeat. Since, he has been nothing short of a phenomenon in ODI cricket, breaking all sorts of batting records and becoming renowned as a run-chase master.

His reputation as India’s next great batsman took a hit in England this year, where he experienced a lean trot, and the 26-year-old can expect the Australian quicks to have studied the likes of Anderson and Broad to work out the most effective way of curbing the right-hander’s impact.

Also looks set to be tasked with the responsibility of leading his country in the opening Test if MS Dhoni loses his race to be fit for Tuesday.

Kohli retired after making a confident 66 in Glenelg yesterday // Getty Images

Murali Vijay (opening batsman) Tests: 27 Batting average: 36.29

Vijay looks to be in ominous touch if his lead-up scores of 50 and 61 (both retired) in two matches against a CA XI are anything to go by.

The 30-year-old began the five-Test series against England with a bang earlier this year, making scores of 146 and 95 in the opening two matches.

Things tailed off badly after those innings however, with the right-hander failing to pass 35 in the remaining six innings.

Lokesh Rahul (opening batsman)

Tests: Nil

Considered one of India’s most promising young batsmen, Lokesh Rahul is averaging over 50 through his 27 first-class matches to date, with six hundreds.

The 22-year-old right-hander hasn’t played a part in India’s warm-up games however, indicating that this tour will be a learning experience as he is groomed for higher honours in the future.

Cheteshwar Pujara (middle-order batsman)

Tests: 24

Batting average: 49.26

Quickly established himself as a run machine in the Indian Test order, something that was much needed in a team suffering from the retirements of an era of legendary batsmen.

After a lean series in England earlier this year, the 26-year-old’s average has dipped below 50, and he will be presented with more stern challenges in Australia against the likes of Johnson, Harris and co.

Pujara will be confident against the Australians however, having made a double hundred against them in 2013, and has settled in Down Under with scores of 22 and 50 in the warm-up matches in South Australia.

Ajinkya Rahane (middle-order batsman)

Tests: 10

Batting average: 39.88

Rahane was one of India’s better-performed batsman on the recent tour of England, making a century at Lord’s and a pair of fities in Southampton to solidify his position in India’s Test side.

Still relatively new to the five-day set-up, he has made two hundreds (the other was against New Zealand in Hamilton), but importantly, has proven himself away from the subcontinent.

His lone home Test to date came against Australia in Delhi in March 2013, where he registered scores of just one and seven.

He began his tour to Australia in similar fashion, making just one in the first warm-up match, but compiled a breezy 56 second time around against the CA XI and will hope to hold his place for the Adelaide opener.

Rohit Sharma (middle-order batsman)

Tests: 7

Batting average: 48.90

Made headlines most recently with his remarkable 264 in an ODI against Sri Lanka, making him the first player to post two double hundreds in ODI cricket.

Yet Sharma has frustrated Indian fans by failing to transfer his obvious ability into international cricket regularly, which led to a resistance to select him in the Test side.

When he got his chance, he took it, making hundreds in his first two Test innings, but soon after he found himself on the outer, playing just one Test on India’s tour of England.

This series looms as a critical one for the 27-year-old if he is to force his way into the Indian side and maintain a place consistently.

Suresh Raina (middle-order batsman)

Tests: 17

Batting average: 28.44

A man who has proven himself a master of the T20 game is another who is yet to convey that quality into the Test cricket arena, having posted just one century in 17 Tests.

At his best, there are few more damaging players in the game, as the 28-year-old left-hander possesses a range of attacking strokes few can rival.

Has posted scores of 44 and 20 in his two outings in Australia since touching down, and in two Test against the Aussies, has a top score of 86.

Wriddhiman Saha (wicketkeeper-batsman)

Tests: 2

Batting average: 18.50

Dismissals: 2

A keeper-batsman who has made a name for himself as a damaging striker of the ball in the Indian Premier League could come into Test calculations in Australia if MS Dhoni fails to be ready for the Test opener in Adelaide on Tuesday.

Saha has two Tests to his name, and he appears the front-runner once again, ahead of Naman Ojha, to take the keeping duties in the absence of the regular skipper.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar (fast bowler)

Tests: 11

Bowling average: 30.25

India’s reigning Cricketer of the Year was a standout for the tourists in England, taking 19 of his 28 Test wickets across the five Tests as he enjoyed the UK conditions that were conducive to the swing he is capable of generating.

The 24-year-old debuted against the Australians in February 2013, playing in all four Tests but collecting just six wickets as India’s spinners dominated the series.

Has healthy competition for a fast-bowling place in the India XI at present, with the outright pace of Varun Aaron and Umesh Yadav, and the experience of Ishant Sharma, likely to appeal to selectors ahead of the four-Test series, but will likely be one of the few India quicks to enjoy the conditions in Adelaide.

Mohammed Shami (fast bowler)

Tests: 9

Bowling average: 36.31

Despite capturing four wickets in the lead-up matches against a CA XI in Adelaide, Shami appears unlikely to play in the first Test at Adelaide on Tuesday.

The 24-year-old began his Test career with a bang against West Indies, taking nine wickets on debut in Kolkata, but he lost his place in the side after the third Test against England in July.

Ishant Sharma (fast bowler)

Tests: 58

Bowling average: 36.75

At his best, he’s a worthy spearhead of one of the world’s leading cricket nations. But Ishant Sharma’s best has been seen only occasionally since he first made headlines with a couple of top-class spells on India’s 2007-08 tour of Australia.

The 26-year-old went wicketless in the first innings against CA XI this week, but claimed two late scalps in quick time to send a timely reminder to selectors ahead of Tuesday’s first Test.

Umesh Yadav (fast bowler)

Tests: 9

Bowling average: 32.50

Impressed on India’s last visit to Australia in 2011-12 as one of the few Indian paceman to generate any real pace and penetration through what was a challenging series for the visitors, taking 14 wickets across the four Tests.

Since, the 27-year-old has barely featured for India, having not played a Test for more than two years, and it will be interesting to see whether the selectors give him another opportunity given his quality record in Australia, or prefer other options.

Karn Sharma (leg-spinner)

Tests: Nil

Sharma was a surprise call-up for this tour and appears the third-choice spinner for India behind Ravi Ashwin and Ravid Jadeja.

The leg-spinner has done himself no harm with five wickets in the two lead-up matches in Australia however, and has publicly stated that he’s very much prepared to “give it a rip” Down Under and would relish the bounce in the pitches.

Sharma looked dangerous with his leg-spinners against CA XI // Getty Images

Naman Ojha (wicketkeeper-batsman)

Tests: Nil

Ojha was drafted into the squad as another keeper-batsman option following MS Dhoni’s withdrawal from the first Test.

The 31-year-old has played one ODI and two Twenty20s for India, but revelled in Australian conditions earlier this year when touring with India A.

In Brisbane across two matches, he plundered scores of 219 not out, 101 not out and 110 to state his case for higher honours.