NAGPUR: India’s Test vice-captain KL Rahul feels it’s never easy to predict the nature of a track but there is a “temptation” to play three spinners in the first Test against Australia, beginning here on Thursday.

With less than 48 hours left for the Border Gavaskar Trophy to begin, Rahul didn’t provide any definitive answers about three key slots in the team -- the wicketkeeper, the third spinner and the number five in the batting order.

With skipper Rohit Sharma back in the mix, Rahul was asked if he would like to bat in the middle-order where he had started his Test career back in 2014. “If it arises, then I’m more than happy to do that. Whatever little cricket I’ve played for the country, I’ve always done that. “Whatever the team has asked me to do, I try and prepare that way and try and do my best for the team, and if that is something that the team wants me to do here, I’ll be more than happy to do it,” Rahul said, although it is unlikely that he would come down the order.

Rahul said: “We still haven’t decided on the final XI. It’s going to be a tough decision to make. There are guys who have performed exceedingly well and there are a few spots open so there are a few discussions going on and the players are being spoken to.” The VCA track is expected to assist spinners from day one itself but Rahul doesn’t want to be a soothsayer when it comes to reading the 22-yard strip. “Yes, we did see it (the pitch), but it’s still too early to really know what the pitch is going to do.

Rahul feels with the quality in the Australian bowling line-up, reverse swing in the dry and abrasive conditions can play a huge role.”It always plays a huge role in India. We have seen that historically as well. Any team that has quality fast bowlers who can exploit reverse swing will be dangerous on pitches like these. That’s something that we have tried to prepare for over the last week, 10 days

We need to come here on the day of the match to know how it’s really going to play,” he told reporters. “We can only look at it and assume it’s going to play a certain way, but you never know with pitches. Yes, there is the temptation to play three spinners because we’re playing in India. We’ll take that call on the day of the game or the day before the game,” the stylish right-hander said.

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