Former coach John Wright feels India will have to draft in Yuvraj Singh in place of a senior batsman in their Test side to have any chance of toppling Australia at home in next month's Test series.
"I hope Yuvraj gets a good look in as he plays well on hard and fast wickets. If you are aiming at succession planning, you have to be looking at getting him involved as soon as you can," the former New Zealand opener was quoted as saying in the Herald Sun.
Yuvraj was man of the series in the ODIs against Pakistan but has been overlooked for the ongoing Test series. Wright, who coached India from 2000 to 2005, said it was not fair to keep the talented left-hander out of the Test fold.
"There are some for whom age is not on their side and their last performance counts. They are under some pressure," said Wright.
"Yuvraj wasn't named in the Test side but he was the player of the one-day tournament against Pakistan (272 runs at 68). I hope he gets involved. It is just time," he added.
The newly-appointed high-performance manager of the New Zealand team felt that apart from brining in Yuvraj, India will have to be at their aggressive best to rattle the Aussies in their backyard.
"If the openers can get through the first hour in games like Aakash Chopra and Virender Sehwag did on the last tour, that will allow the middle-order batsmen to play well," he said.
"India has the ability to bat well, get big first-innings runs and put pressure on. If India's brave enough to bat first, play their two spinners and catch well, it will be a very good series," he added.
Wright also gave a thumbs up to Anil Kumble's appointment as India's Test captain and said the veteran leg-spinner would be crucial to the visitors' chances Down Under.
"Anil will be a very good Test captain. I am very pleased he has got that job," Wright said.
"There's a situation where you can get a side chasing against quality spin bowlers, 200 can be interesting in the last innings," he explained.
Wright dismissed former Australian coach John Buchanan's assertion that Sachin Tendulkar would be susceptible to raw pace early on in his innings.
"He's getting older but I don't think he minds a few around his ears. He is probably expecting them," Wright said.
India will play a four-Test series against the Australians starting December 26 in Melbourne.
