Aaron, Shami India's best quicks: Cooley

Experienced bowling coach Troy Cooley says Varun Aaron and Mohammed Shami were the Indian pacemen who impressed him the most in tour games.

Mystery surrounds the make-up of India's bowling attack for the first Test, which starts in Adelaide on Tuesday.

Swing specialist Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the only Indian bowler to play the entire five-Test series against England earlier this year and loomed as an automatic selection.

However, Kumar has an ankle issue that could force him to miss the opening clash of the four-Test series.

"That's a call we'll take from the physio," India stand-in skipper Virat Kohli said.

Express paceman Varun Aaron and Mohammed Shami shared the new ball in the first innings of India's last-start tour game against a Cricket Australia XI.

Neither has played a Test against Australia, but they've impressed in local conditions and are likely to be picked.

Veteran seamer Ishant Sharma's final spell in the recent tour game was an impressive 2-8 from five overs and he is also expected to play.

Kohli gave little away on Monday, but boasted it would be "one of the best bowling attacks we've had in a while".

Troy Cooley, former bowling mentor for Australia and England, coached the CA XI side and had a close look at the different attacks India trialled in the two tour games.

"It'll be really interesting to see who they take into the first Test," Cooley said.

"I'm sure Varun, Shami and Sharma are all up there.

"You're going to need a couple of good quicks on Adelaide Oval, you'll need someone who can dependably tie up an end."

Aaron looms as India's answer to Australian spearhead Mitchell Johnson - the right-armer was clocked at 152.1 km/h during a recent one-day match, with pace and bounce his big weapons.

"He's definitely got some pace about him," Cooley said of Aaron, who has played three Tests due to a handful of serious injury setbacks.

"He bowled some good spells, and some not so good spells.

"He and Shami were the pick of the quicks."

Offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin routed Australia in India last year, claiming 29 wickets at an average of 20.10 in the four-Test series.

However Ashwin sat out India's final tour game, with legspinner Karn Sharma preferred.

"The pitch wasn't turning, but Karn Sharma bowled quite well," Cooley said.


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