Jackson Bird can't match Pat Cummins for express pace, but the right-armer had impressed selectors during the past summer and has a clear idea of what's required in India.
Bird was predicted to be on drinks duty throughout the four-Test series, but he's moved firmly into the mix for the third Test after Mitchell Starc's foot injury.
Starc will play no further part in the series, which is level at 1-1 and continues on Thursday in Ranchi. Rushing Cummins, who was added to the squad on Saturday, into the XI would be the obvious temptation.
Bird, who stepped up after being part of the selectors' mid-summer overhaul of the Test side following five straight defeats, is the other option.
The 30-year-old is rightly growing tired of talking about Cummins and James Pattinson.
"I'm sick of being asked what I'm going to do when those guys are both fully fit again," Bird told AAP before flying out for Australia's tour of India.
"It's definitely not annoying; people are always going to be talking about those guys because they're two quality fast bowlers. They can both bowl over 145 km/h and swing it both ways.
"But I can't control when they get selected ... and I complemented Starcy and Josh Hazlewood pretty well in the home summer."
Bird grabbed 13 wickets in three wins during his most-recent recall, with skipper Steve Smith admitting the fast bowler was "unlucky" to be dropped in favour of spinner Steve O'Keefe for the SCG Test.
"The exciting thing for me is I didn't really bowl my best this summer, but I contributed and took regular wickets," Bird said.
"I've still got a lot of improving to do."
Coach Darren Lehmann noted earlier this week that Bird had been "one of our best bowlers behind the scenes".
The Sydney-born paceman, who made his first-class debut in 2011 after moving to Tasmania, toured India in 2013 and knew the subcontinent carried unique challenges.
"India is a bit of an eye opener when you go over there for the first time," Bird said.
"The wickets are different.
"The ball is different, it goes soft very quickly over there, the seam goes soft and you get no movement whatsoever.
"It's about changing your angles up. Coming around the wicket or over the wicket, going wide of the crease, but always attacking the stumps."
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