Rahul along with wicketkeeper batter Dhruv Jurel flew early to Australia, and will appear for India A in the second four-day game at the MCG.
Sourav Ganguly on Wednesday will become only the seventh Indian to complete a century of Test matches and he will be the oldest among Indians to accomplish this feat.
Batting maestro Virat Kohli hogged the front pages with the Hindi headline Yugon Li Ladai (Fight For The Ages), while young batting sensation Yashasvi Jaiswal was hailed as Navam Raja (The New King) in Punjabi.
Kuldeep, who has had an excellent couple of years since making his comeback from the knee injury, also visited the Cricket Australia (CA) headquarters and had an online interaction CEO Nick Hockley.
Selectors have recalled pace stalwart Hazlewood for the second ODI after he missed the MCG match to play Sheffield Shield cricket.
Australian spinner Nathan Lyon is expecting an Indian comeback in the second Test at Melbourne this week after the tourists were skittled for 36 on their way to losing the series opener by eight wickets in Adelaide.
Former Sri Lankan Test cricketer Dulip Samaraweera, who was working as Victoria's women's team coach, has been banned for 20 years by the country's board after being found guilty of breaching its code of conduct with "utterly reprehensible" behaviour during his stint with the side.
'In my mind, it was very clear you can't do worse than that (Adelaide). You'll have a day when the luck is in your favour and you can bounce back. And that's exactly what happened.'
Virat Kohli was not extended any special treatment, asserted India great Sunil Gavaskar, but some former Australia players felt the batting superstar got away lightly for his physical altercation with debutant Sam Konstas in the ongoing Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.
'Completely acted wrong': Kohli shock as star avoids ban for 'ridiculous' clash with Aussie teen'
IMAGES from Day 3 of the 3rd Test played between Australia and Pakistan at SCG on Friday.
Gavaskar emphasised that India shouldn't focus too far ahead on the target and should plan the chase according to the hours. He added that skipper Rohit Sharma's role in providing a solid start will be key.
The last time an Ashes in Australia started away from the Gabba was in 1982 when the historic foes drew at the WACA in Perth.
Smith has rarely, if ever, doubted his own talent but even he was aware that his spell at the top of the order was proving unpopular.
Here's a quiz celebrating the Indian batting icon and to tell if you're a true Gavaskar fan...
'...there was a time there where it could have been 250 or 270 (run lead) or maybe even less there for a bit.'
The narrowest victories by runs in Test cricket.
A solitary break in the eighth game was all Djokovic needed to take the opening set, as the 37-year-old looked in total control despite playing well within himself in perfect conditions at a packed centre court.
India have lost 7 Tests in 2018, the joint-most in a calendar year (1959 and 1983 being the other years when India also lost seven Tests.
Ricky Ponting advised star batters Virat Kohli and Steve Smith to stop trying hard to rediscover their best and pushing themselves too hard and just focus on watching the ball and scoring runs.
The fourth Test is due to start next Tuesday with Australia having already retained the Ashes, leading the series 3-0 with two matches to play.
'I am not against technology in the game. But if it brings doubt and confusion, it is not acceptable. Some decisions were not understandable. The ball hitting the stumps is always out. I will never understand why there is an umpire's call.'
Virat Kohli booed by home fans after bumping shoulders with Konstas on the pitch after the 19-year-old smashed India's bowlers around the park early on.
'I was just doing my gloves when I got the little shoulder charge, but it happens in cricket.'
Novak Djokovic was seriously rattled early on by inspired American teenager Nishesh Basavareddy but rallied for a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 victory on Monday.
Michael Hussey backed star India batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli and said that one cannot write off champion players like them.
Despite the challenging build-up, Gambhir said he is "extremely confident" of retaining the Border Gavaskar Trophy. The players will hope to be as confident as they prepare for the fight to keep their World Test Final chances alive.
Ricky Ponting feels that left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed could be a valuable addition in the Indian squad
Green will have a period of rest ahead of the tour of India
Photographs have emerged of Australian cricketers Michael Clarke and Phillip Hughes drinking at a Melbourne bar well into the night on the eve of their humiliating Ashes series defeat at the MCG.
The sacrifices made by his family is well documented and the Australian media was also keen to know about the man behind the player and the role of his father Mutyalu.
Indian cricket has produced a generational superstar in Yashasvi Jaiswal and will remain in good health even when Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma decide to call time on their careers, said former Australia World Cup winner Darren Lehmann.
'Who'll tell him that the bigger problems lie elsewhere?'
Key players, such as pacer Mitchell Starc, are hitting form at the right time, while star batter Steve Smith is facing early setbacks in his preparations.
Australia's mouthwatering clash with India sees the two behemoths of the modern game go head-to-head in five tests over six weeks with the tourists eyeing a third straight series triumph Down Under.
'I think we all want to remember Kohli as one of the greatest cricketers ever in the game and not as somebody who was fined'
Greg Chappell hails Harry Brook, compares him to Sachin Tendulkar in an ode to England's bright future
Shubman Gill's thumb fracture is certainly a "jolt" for India ahead of the series opener against Australia
Images from Day 1 of the fifth Test between Australia and India at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday.
Factbox on Italy's Jannik Sinner, who beat Germany's Alexander Zverev 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-3 in the Australian Open final
