Stumper Rahul keen to glove chance long-term

KL Rahul is enjoying his wicketkeeper-batsman role in India's limited-overs squad and wants to hold on to the job with three World Cups looming in the next three years.

Part-time stumper Rahul kept wicket during India's one-day series in New Zealand in February and reprised the role for Kings XI Punjab in this year's Indian Premier League.

He will continue behind the stumps in the limited-overs series in Australia but denied it was part of India's bigger plans keeping in mind the Twenty20 World Cups in 2021 and 2022 and the 50-overs World Cup in 2023.

"I don't think we as a team are thinking that far," Rahul said in a virtual press conference ahead of Friday's Dettol ODI Series opener against Australia.

"Obviously, World Cups are very, very important. That is the long vision for every team.

"If I keep putting up consistent performances with the bat and the gloves, it obviously gives us the option of playing an extra batter or an extra bowler.

"If the opportunity presents itself, and I can keep in all three World Cups, I'd love to do it."

The versatile batsman owes his new role to the fickle form of Rishabh Pant, who was seen as Mahendra Singh Dhoni's natural successor behind the stumps.

Rahul said he learned a lot from Dhoni, whose inputs from behind the stumps often helped the bowlers plot dismissals.

"I'll probably give them (bowlers) feedback on what I feel can be a batter length or a better pace to bowl at, or if they are doing something wrong or if they can change the field set," he added.

"I've done this in one series in New Zealand and I quite enjoyed it. Hopefully I can get better at reading games and give the bowlers and captain some good feedback from behind the stumps."

Meanwhile, India coach Ravi Shastri acknowledged his team lack Australia's pink-ball experience but is convinced their "fabulous five" pacemen can bowl the tourists to a second successive Test series victory Down Under.

Australia have played seven day-night Tests, the most by any country, since 2015 and won each of them.

India were late to embrace the innovation and played their only pink-ball Test against Bangladesh in Kolkata last year.

A mouth-watering four-match Vodafone Test Series between the top two teams in the World Test Championship standings will get underway with a pink-ball contest at Adelaide from December 17.

"We have played just one pink-ball Test, but there is a qualitative difference between them (Bangladesh) and Australia. It is like cheese and chalk," Shastri told the Sportstar magazine..

"Our boys have not played much of pink-ball in domestic cricket, but I just want them to go and enjoy their game."

Skipper Virat Kohli, who led India to their maiden Test series victory in Australia two seasons ago, will return home after the Adelaide Test to attend the birth of his first child.

While it would take some sheen off India's batting line-up in the last three Tests, Shastri was confident India's five-member pace attack, which includes Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, could defend decent totals.

"We have a fabulous five ... you put up runs on the board and watch these fast bowlers hunt the opposition. They can beat Australia in their own den."

There was no pressure on the team and India would play "fearless cricket" against an opponent Shastri considered the toughest.

"Ask any international player and he will tell you that it is different. It is challenging. Toughest used to be the West Indies in the '80s and post that it has been Australia."

Dettol ODI Series v India 2020

Australia ODI squad: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey , Pat Cummins (vc), Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Moises Henriques, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Daniel Sams, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa

India ODI squad: Virat Kohli (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Hardik Pandya, Mayank Agarwal, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Navdeep Saini, Shardul Thakur.

First ODI: November 27, SCG, 2.40pm AEDT

Second ODI: November 29, SCG, 2.40pm AEDT

Third ODI: December 2, Manuka Oval, 2.40pm AEDT

*The matches and travel remain subject to any relevant government restrictions or requirements