India's Predicted starting XI for Test series against Australia

5. Ajinkya Rahane (VC)

Vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane has been another core member of the Indian Test team in the next generation after the likes of Tendulkar, Dravid, and Laxman retired. He has performed for India in multiple tough situations, especially away from home. He remains the batsman with the highest Test average away from home in the current playing XI. Rahane has scored 4203 runs in 65 Tests at an average of 42.89- with 11 tons and 22 fifties.

Rahane had an okayish series last time in Australia. He scored 217 runs in 7 innings at an average of 31. His most notable contribution was in the 2nd innings of the Adelaide Test where he scored 70 runs and along with Pujara took India to 307, setting up a target of 323 for Australia. He also scored a fifty in the first innings of the Perth Test. He performed brilliantly in the 2014/15 Test Series.

Being the vice-captain, he shall play a crucial role in decision making. He has assisted Kohli brilliantly ever since Kohli was made the Test captain. He has scored 715 runs in 11 Tests at an average of just under 60 in the World Test Championship. He was also among the players who had a good knock in New Zealand but could not continue the same form in the rest of the series. He had 91 runs in 4 innings.