Kohli sees pleasure, not pain in Perth pitch

Where once Indian touring teams might have arrived in Perth to find a verdant, lively Test strip and immediately feared for their reputations and well-being, current captain Virat Kohli's eyes widened in excited anticipation.

Before the first ball is delivered in the historic inaugural Test at Perth's new multi-purpose stadium on Friday morning, the informed foresight suggests the pitch will resemble the surfaces that built the nearby WACA Ground's reputation as a paradise for pace bowlers.

Historically, this would have traumatised India teams schooled on the slow, low decks of the subcontinent and whose bowling strength was traditionally guileful spin bowlers who preferred more familiar conditions at Adelaide and Sydney.

But as Kohli pointed out at his pre-match media conference in sun-soaked Perth today, this current incarnation of India's Test outfit differs vastly from most that have gone before in both mindset and make-up.

As a consequence, Kohli is so confident that his pace attack can more than match anything that Australia hurls their way that the visitors named five quicks in their re-shaped squad for the second Test of the four-game Domain Series, which India leads 1-0.

That decision was partly influenced by news that their principal spinner, Ravi Ashwin, suffered an abdominal strain during the Adelaide Test though India's preferred practice of naming their squad after Kohli's media appearance meant further details remain elusive.

Just which combination of Ishant Sharma, Mohammad Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar is unleashed when the Test begins at 10.20am local time will only be confirmed at the coin toss half an hour prior.

It's eminently possible that India will enter a Test in Australia without a specialist spinner – spin-bowling all-rounder Hanuma Vihari is poised to fill that role having been close to selection in Adelaide a week ago – for the first time since their most recent visit to Perth in 2012.

A match that they ultimately lost by an innings and 37 runs.

But regardless of the configuration, Kohli believes that India boasts the firepower that makes Perth a prospect that these days is intoxicating, not intimidating.

"We certainly get more excited than nervous looking at lively pitches now," Kohli said today.

"We understand that we do have a bowling attack which can bowl the opposition out as much as they are convinced about their attack.

"When you have four or five fast bowlers who are at the peak of their ability, it's always a great feeling to have in the side.

"For us, as batsmen, it also gives us a lot of motivation and boosts us up that we can put in those match-winning significant batting performances because we have so much belief in our bowling unit right now.

"We understand that if we bat well, we will definitely get the result that we want.

"It's a very exciting phase to be in."

If, as Perth stadium curator Brett Sipthorpe claimed earlier today, Australia's newest Test venue shows characteristics so renowned at the WACA Ground on the opposite bank of the Swan River, then that will at least afford both teams a measure of familiarity.

This morning's short training run represented the first time that the India players have been inside the new 60,000 seat stadium.

And their Australia opponents likewise boast a handful of squad members – namely Peter Handscomb, Usman Khawaja, Peter Siddle and Test rookie Marcus Harris - who have yet to experience cricket on the ground.

"This looks pretty much like the MCG to be honest," Kohli said today when asked of his first impressions of the newly minted stadium.

"I walked in and felt it was a bit of MCG.

"I've played on big stadiums before, it's very different to the old Perth stadium (the WACA Ground).

"But the pitch looks and plays very similar and it's fast, supposed to be fast, so I don't see any major differences.

"The stadium is beautiful, has a great feel and we're looking forward to getting on the park."

Domain Test Series v India

Dec 6-10: First Test, Adelaide Oval, India won by 31 runs

Dec 14-18: Second Test, Perth Stadium

Dec 26-30: Third Test, MCG

Jan 3-7: Fourth Test, SCG

Australia squad: Tim Paine (c, wk), Josh Hazlewood (vc), Mitch Marsh (vc), Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Peter Handscomb, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Chris Tremain

India squad: Virat Kohli (c), Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Prithvi Shaw, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant (wk), Parthiv Patel (wk), Ravi Ashwin, Ravi Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar