Rahul, Padikkal set to figure in India's top order

From all indications during India's first training session at the Optus Stadium, venue for the first Test in Perth starting on Friday, KL Rahul and Devdutt Padikkal seem front-runners to fill in the hole left by the unavailability of Rohit Sharma (paternity leave) and Shubman Gill (injured) in the top-order.

- HTC and Agencies

Dhruv Jurel is likely to play as a specialist batter in the middle-order.

It will be in line with the Indian team management's mantra of horses for courses under coach Gautam Gambhir. Padikkal, who originally went with the India A squad, was asked to stay back after Gill fractured his thumb while fielding. As India had their first hit at the Test venue on Tuesday, the coaching staff gave special attention to the three, besides the first-choice players.

At India's net session, Rahul and Padikkal were the first batters to be given a hit, an indication that they are in the frame to fill the opener and No.3 slots respectively. Rahul, who was struck on the elbow by a rising delivery on the first day of the intra-squad practice match, batted without discomfort. Padikkal batted in an adjoining net. Jurel also had a long net session, alongside Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant.