IND v AUS 2020: India's predicted playing XI for the 1st Test

Middle Order: Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wk)

Rishabh Pant scored 350 runs in the previous edition of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy

Cheteshwar Pujara was India's top-scorer in their historic Border-Gavaskar Trophy triumph Down Under in 2018-19, and he'll arguably be the country's most important batsman once again. The No. 3 notched up a fifty in the first warm-up game, and has shown the ability to shine at the Test stage despite not playing much top-level cricket otherwise.

Captain Virat Kohli will be part of the Indian squad only for the 1st Test, after which he'll return to India for the birth of his first child. The 32-year-old will want to lead from the front and get his team off to a solid start in what is undoubtedly going to be a challenging series. He will have a number of mini-battles against the likes of Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood, all of whom have proven themselves up to the task of facing up to him in the past.

Ajinkya Rahane was one of the standout batsmen from the A games, and his hundred would've given him and his team plenty of confidence. The 1st Test will be crucial for India's vice-captain, who'll take over the reins from Virat Kohli for the final three games of the series. Batting at No. 5, Rahane will probably have to ensure that India get through the twilight period intact.

Hanuma Vihari hasn't been in great form in Test cricket, and hasn't played a lot of cricket in the recent past after not finding a buyer in the Indian Premier League auction. However, the 27-year-old will be absolutely vital to India's fortunes in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with his batting at No. 6 and handy off-breaks. Fresh off a century in the pink-ball warm-up game, he will want to seal his spot in the XI with KL Rahul knocking on his door.

Two days ago, Wriddhiman Saha was the odds-on favourite to be behind the stumps for India in the Test series. But in all likelihood, Rishabh Pant has snatched the spot away from the 36-year-old with a blistering hundred in the second warm-up game. The southpaw scored 350 runs and took 20 catches on his last Test tour of Australia and he'll take confidence from the ton, which broke a rather long lean patch.