India's batsmen are set to face a tougher examination in Australia this summer than in their past two triumphs here, with data showing how much wickets have changed in the country.
Players from both teams will come face to face for the first time on the tour on Monday, at a Border-Gavaskar Trophy launch event at Perth's Optus Stadium.
Australia will also hold their first team training session at the WACA ahead of Friday's first Test.
The tourists also wrapped up an intra-squad hit out on Sunday, with Shubman Gill in increasing doubt for the first Test with a broken thumb, according to Indian media.
With Rohit Sharma's availability still uncertain due to personal reasons, India have at least had good news with KL Rahul back training after a blow to the elbow.
India have arrived as the most accomplished touring team in years, as one of two visiting sides to have won successive Test series in the country this century.
Victory in this summer's five-Test Border-Gavaskar series would also ensure they hold the trophy for 10 straight years. The West Indies of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s were the last team to achieve such a feat against Australia.
But while India's series win in Australia in 2018-19 was a result of resilience against the hosts' bowlers and batting time, it is unlikely to come so easily this summer.
Test data shows that in the six summers leading up to India's 2020-21 success, one wicket fell in Australia every 66.6 balls.
Life has become far easier for bowlers in the three seasons since that series, with one wicket now falling every 52.0 balls.
"You look back at those series, cricket in Australia, the Tests we have played have changed a little bit," Australia batter Travis Head told AAP recently.
"The style we need to play has changed with the wickets we have been dealt. It's been tough the past couple of years.
"That will be the big difference between the last time India came. Most of the Tests got to the fifth day.
"But then if you go back to the previous series even, which we just lost, most of those Tests went to the last day.
"I don't think we even played into the fifth day last summer. There were real up and down Tests on some tougher wickets."
The change in pitches following India's 2020-21 success also shows in batters' averages dropping from 37.0 to 28.8.
Tests are also ending significantly earlier, with both of Australia's matches against West Indies last summer over before stumps on day three.
Only four Tests have gone to day five in the past three summers, with two of those heavily impacted by rain in Sydney.
There is also a thought that shorter games could take spinners out of the equation, with the potential of fewer matches going deep into day five.
"Their batters in different conditions, it will be tough for them," Head warned.
"They played South Africa a little while ago and they won one and lost one on some dicey wickets. It's uncomfortable. It's like us going to India and playing on theirs.
"It probably helps us a little bit. If it was us and England on juicy wickets you would probably say it benefits England.
"But their bowlers are so good, it takes the spinners out of it a little bit. It takes the spinners out of it a bit maybe."
HOW AUSTRALIA'S TEST WICKETS HAVE CHANGED
2014-15 - 2019-20
Average overs per Test: 347.1
Average runs per wicket: 37.0
Average balls per wicket: 66.6
2021-22 - 2023-24
Average overs per Test: 279.4
Average runs per wicket: 28.7
Average balls per wicket: 52.0
