Despite the pair making certain of selection, doubts remain in other areas of captain Tim Paine's team, with opener Matt Renshaw picking up a head injury after being struck by the ball during the tour game that ended on Tuesday.
A guitar-strumming rocker when not keeping wickets, Australia's Peter Nevill will hope to hit the right note when he makes his surprise Test debut against England in the second Ashes match on Thursday.
In order to raise the dwindling number of spectators in the stadium, the Board of Control for Cricket in India last week said it is all set to host its first-ever day/night cricket Test with the pink ball against New Zealand in October.
Snubbed Maxwell eyes county cricket to fuel Test bid.
Matt Renshaw says he will try to make a 'good impression'
Australia have put fast bowlers Doug Bollinger and Nathan Coulter-Nile on standby for next week's third Ashes Test against England in Perth should any of the current pacemen break down during the second Test in Adelaide, starting on Thursday.
Injuries worries to in-form opener David Warner and allrounder Mitch Marsh may affect Australia's plans.
Australia will be forced to blood an entirely new opening partnership in Bangladesh next month after David Warner was ruled out of the two-Test series with a broken finger on Friday.
'I think it makes total sense in Test cricket'
As we prepare to cruise into the New Year, Rediff.com gives you a glance back, through photos, into all the sporting moments that made the last 12 months memorable.
Paine's batting lineup has been rated the worst Australia has ever, so the bowlers could well be under pressure
Batsmen have dominated Australia's series against New Zealand, but the pink ball and a green-tinged wicket should swing the balance of power back to the bowlers when Adelaide hosts Test cricket's inaugural day-night match.
Australia batsman Usman Khawaja could find himself opening against South Africa's formidable pace attack in the first Test in Perth on November 3, just months after being dropped during a poor tour of Sri Lanka.
His loss for even part of the series would be a huge blow to a team already missing so much batting experience because of the Cape Town ball-tampering scandal.
One fan has got a mural painted on the wall of his home in Dalgaty Lane as a mark of tribute. And little wonder, it is slowly turning into a tourist destination.
Jake Lehmann's strong form could force an awkward decision at the selectors table where his father sits.
'Warner shaken up after hitting bowler in nets'
Boult was ruled out of the rest of the first Test against England after experiencing pain in his ribs, New Zealand Cricket said on Monday.
'There will be uncertainty among players of both the teams of playing a pink ball Test'
Two months on from the interview, Bancroft said he had been in touch with Warner, and that all three banned players had supported each other through their "journey".
Australia have wrapped up the Ashes two Tests early, but opening batsman Chris Rogers still feels on shaky ground ahead of the fourth Test in Melbourne without a century to his name in the series.
Australia talisman Steve Smith has said he will change nothing in his approach to facing Jofra Archer after being hit by a short ball from England's tearaway paceman but admitted the blow had revived troubling memories of Phillip Hughes.
Australia's head cricket coach Darren Lehmann hopes the test team can avenge the Wallabies' Rugby World Cup final defeat by the All Blacks with a victory in the series opener in Brisbane starting this week.
All-rounder Marcus Stoinis was called up for Australia's two remaining Tests in India on the strength of his bowling and previous performances in the region, interim chief selector Trevor Hohns said on Thursday.
Australia opening batsman Aaron Finch has declared himself fit for the Boxing Day Test against India in Melbourne and said his injured finger would need to be cut off to prevent him from playing in front of his home state's fans.
While form is important, Tim Paine's hopes of retaining his spot may ultimately rest on whether selectors feel he might be a major distraction amid the pressures of an Ashes series.
Australia vice-captain and all-rounder Mitchell Marsh has been dropped for the first Test against India as selectors backed the team's three specialist seamers to bowl a full workload at Adelaide Oval.
While Shaun Marsh gets another go at resurrecting his career
Former Australia batsman Mike Hussey feels Adam Zampa's approach to bowling reminds him of the great Anil Kumble, even as the young leg-spinner made a strong case for his selection for the upcoming Test tour of India with some impressive performance in the sub-continent last year.
The 30-year-old Holland played two Tests in Sri Lanka in 2016 but has not appeared for his country in any format since.
Delhi's young wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant batted himself into the record books as he struck the fastest ever hundred by an Indian in a first-class game by hitting a 48-ball ton against Jharkhand in a Ranji Trophy encounter in Thumba, Kerala, on Tuesday.
Australia's pace spearhead Mitchell Starc is confident he will be fit to take on South Africa in next month's first test after declaring himself available for a domestic Sheffield Shield match on Thursday.
Michael Clarke signed off from One-day cricket on a high on Sunday after his team beat New Zealand by seven wickets in the World Cup final at the MCG and fittingly dedicated the triumph to Philip Hughes, who tragically lost his life in a freak on-field accident.
England face a rejuvenated Australian team who have turned day-night cricket into a competitive advantage, winning all eight of their Tests under lights dating back to the format's 2015 debut.
Emotions are set to run high at the venue where late Australian opener Phillip Hughes died last month after being struck by a bouncer during a Sheffield Shield match
Australia all-rounder Mitchell Marsh has been ruled out of this week's third Test against India in Melbourne with uncapped batsman Joe Burns coming into the 13-man squad to replace him.
Joe Burns is determined to avoid membership of the burgeoning club of Australian batsmen who have made brief cameos.
Devastated by his tragic death, Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke has penned a poignant birthday tribute to Phillip Hughes, saying that the late batsman was like a little brother who helped him become a better man.
Australia are hopeful that captain Michael Clarke will be available for next month's first Test against India despite a recurrence of his hamstring injury, physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said on Thursday.
Joe Burns said India have a skillful bowling attack, spearheaded by Jasprit Bumrah, and they have to 'start well' against them.
