Australia v India: the unfamiliar faces

Australia and India played each other eight times across Test and one-day formats last summer and the two familiar foes will face off again in the five-match Victoria Bitter ODI series over the coming weeks.

But despite their recent history, both sides have named some relatively unknown faces in their respective squads ahead of the series opener in Perth on Tuesday.

Australia have named two debutants – Joel Paris and Scott Boland – for the WACA Ground clash, while Indian seamer Barinder Sran is also tipped to make his debut.

Take a closer look at the unfamiliar names expected to play a part in this five-match series.

Manish Pandey (India)

An aggressive middle-order batsman who averages more than 50 at first-class level, Pandey burst onto the scene in 2009 as a 19-year-old when he became the first Indian to score a century in the Indian Premier League. Despite strong performances at domestic level since then, including the man-of-the-match award in the 2014 IPL final, Pandey had to wait until July last year to represent his country for the first time. He scored a polished 71 on ODI debut against Zimbabwe and comes into the Victoria Bitter ODI series on the back of a composed 58 from 59 balls in India's warm-up match over the weekend. Despite being a newcomer at international level, Pandey will be able to draw on his experience from India A's 2014 tour of Australia, which included an innings of 91 in Darwin.

"For the last couple of years, I've started to apply myself more. There might be an image of me playing my strokes and be known as a T20 batsman, but it’s high time I prove myself in the ODI format as well." - India batsman Manish Pandey

Watch: WA XI v India

Joel Paris (Australia)

A left-armer from Perth, Paris announced himself as a player to watch at the start of the 2014-15 season, taking 13 wickets in Western Australia's successful Matador BBQs One-Day Cup campaign. A season-ending injury in the tournament final further delayed a first-class debut that had already been pushed back by a chronic foot injury, but the 23-year-old made the most of his first taste of Sheffield Shield cricket this summer. He took six wickets in his first match against Victoria in November before bowling his side to victory with a brilliant 6-23 a week later against Tasmania. Having continued on that good form in the Big Bash League, Paris got the nod for his maiden international series and has a golden chance to push for more chances at the top level.

"He is coming along nicely. We find him exciting, particularly being a left-armer. Possibly not quite as quick as Starc and Johnson but he swings the ball and he is tall and gets good bounce. We would like to encourage him as much as we can." - Selector Trevor Hohns

Watch: Paris bags six

Barinder Sran (India)

A 23-year-old left-armer with less than 20 domestic matches to his name, Sran almost pursued a boxing career before turning his attention to cricket. A late comer to the game who had only played with a tennis ball until his teens, Sran is an accurate left-armer whose ability to swing the ball earned him a comparison to legendary Indian quick Zaheer Khan from teammate Yuvraj Singh. Sran impressed in India's two warm-up matches over the weekend and is expected make his international debut on Tuesday.

"Barinder Sran! Serious spell of fast bowling on a flat track! A talented fast left-armer to watch out for reminds me of a young Zaheer Khan," - India batsman Yuvraj Singh

Scott Boland (Australia)

A 26-year-old quick from just outside of Melbourne, Boland pushed himself into international contention with a seven-wicket haul for Victoria in Perth in late November. Having impressed in domestic cricket for several years, that performance was enough for selectors to draft him into Australia's Test squad for the recent series against West Indies. Rated by Victoria coach David Saker as their best one-day bowler, ahead of James Pattinson, John Hastings and Peter Siddle, Boland hits the bat hard and is regarded as one of the best death bowlers in Australia. Not bad for a man who in his late teens was a top-order batsman labelled "just another fat bloke" by his captain in club cricket.

"His death bowling has been very impressive. I think he hits a yorker as well as anyone at the moment. He's got a bit of pace to him so hopefully he can hurry up the Indian batters a bit. He's been impressive in the nets the past couple of weeks. He's hit the bat hard, bowled good areas and that's what you need to do out at the WACA." - Australia captain Steve Smith

Watch: Boland destroys WA

Gurkeerat Singh Mann (India)

A right-handed middle-order batsman and handy off-spinner, the uncapped Gurkeerat was the star of India A's victory over Australia A in their one-day tournament final last year, taking two wickets and scoring an unbeaten 87 with the bat in the four-wicket win. Coming to the crease with the hosts in trouble at 4-82 chasing 226, Gurkeerat steadied the innings and eventually finished the match with consecutive sixes in his first hit of the tournament. He continued his good form in domestic cricket late last year and eventually earned a promotion to India's Test squad for the recent series against South Africa before booking his ticket for his first senior tour.

"He is good against spinners, solid at defence, powerful in hitting and good off both back foot as well as the front foot. Where other batsmen would defend a certain delivery, he would play a big shot. He’s intelligent when it comes to picking his moments with the bat." - Domestic coach Sukhvinder Singh Tinku

Kane Richardson (Australia)

A right-arm quick from South Australia, Richardson made his international debut almost three years ago but his progress has stalled due to injury and selection. Regarded as one of the best death bowlers in Australia, the 24-year-old has impressed this season for the Adelaide Strikers and his proficiency in the late overs makes him a strong contender for the World T20 in March and April. A member of Australia's successful campaign in the 2010 Under-19 World Cup, Richardson also has played in the Indian Premier League and has experience beyond what his 24 years would suggest.

"Everyone remembers the last over. That's what your career is made on, those moments. You've got to embrace it." - Kane Richardson on bowling at the death

Watch: Richardson relishes chance of ODI recall

Rishi Dhawan (India)

The hero of India A's victory over Australia A in the 2014 series final, Dhawan is a right-arm quick and powerful lower-order batsman. No relation to opener Shikhar Dhawan, the 25-year-old has been one of the leading bowlers in Indian domestic cricket for years and has finally been rewarded with promotion to the senior squad for the first time. A powerful lower-order batsman, Dhawan slammed an unbeaten 56 batting at No.7 for India A in Darwin in August 2014, steering the tourists to an unlikely win in the quadrangular final against Australia A. He showed some good form against the WA XI on Saturday as well, taking 2-28 from seven overs.

"I have seen you at Ranji Trophy ... you have the potential to become a great all-rounder for India." - Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar, who pulled a nervous Dhawan aside ahead of his IPL debut for Mumbai in 2013.