Indian cricket team's tour itinerary to Australia is highly lopsided. India begin their tour with three T20Is, followed by four Tests and finally play three ODIs. Playing the shortest format of cricket ahead of the longest format is no practice when a majority of the Test players like Pujara, Vijay, Rahul, Rahane, and Ishant do not play T20 for India. When a team is going primarily for 4 Tests on a difficult tour to Australia, it should ideally play 2 to 3 three-day or four-day games to get a feel of the weather, pitches and playing conditions. Though it has not been mentioned specifically in the published itinerary, one hopes the team plays at least two three-day first class games in the ten days between the last T20I and the first Test.
The Test team needs a rhythm, as was seen in South Africa recently when India improved as the series went on, having jumped off the plane straightaway into Tests after playing a limited overs series at home against Sri Lanka. Virat Kohli had raised the issue of proper preparation ahead of a tough Test tour but his demand was not heeded. So India plunged into South Africa, even picking limited overs specialists like Rohit and Shikhar who were in form at home against Sri Lanka ahead of Test specialists Rahane and Rahul for Tests against South Africa when the tour began.
The Indian team will be playing the limited overs series in England ahead of the five Test series later this year. And will have only one four-day game before the Tests. While it would not be a problem for players like Ishant and Pujara who are playing county cricket this year, the limited overs players who are also part of the Test squad will have to quickly switch over to Test mode.
