Former Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli arrived in Perth on Sunday, ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series scheduled to begin on Nov. 22. Kohli, who was seen at the Mumbai airport Saturday with his wife Anushka Sharma and their children, traveled separately from the rest of the team. In a viral social media video, he was seen requesting photographers not to take pictures of his kids.

The rest of the Indian squad is expected to arrive in two groups, though it remains uncertain if captain Rohit Sharma will join them immediately. Rohit may miss the opening Test at Optus Stadium due to the anticipated birth of his second child, but head coach Gautam Gambhir refrained from commenting on Rohit’s situation. “We will let you know exactly what the situation will be. Hopefully, he’s going to be available, but everything we’re going to get to know at the start of the series,” Gambhir said Monday in Mumbai.

If Rohit is absent, fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, named vice-captain for the series, will lead the team. The decision over who will fill Rohit’s spot in the batting order could come down to either KL Rahul or Abhimanyu Easwaran. Gambhir indicated the team has depth in its lineup, saying, “There are options there, it’s not that there are no options there. We’ll plan and play the best XI that’s going to do the job for us.”

India's practice sessions will start Tuesday at the WACA ground, with the team training behind closed doors. Initially, India was scheduled to play India A in a practice match before the first Test, but the game was canceled due to injury concerns within the squad. Instead, the team will conduct match simulations at WACA to prepare for the highly anticipated series against Australia.