Buoyed by team's comprehensive victory in the second Test, a cautious Australian skipper Tim Paine believes that his inexperienced side has the potential to get ahead of India but is still a work in progress.
"I don't feel like we are on top of them. We feel like we are getting better with every Test," Paine said on the eve of the Boxing Day Test.
"We are improving with every game but we need to keep stacking up good days and play good Test cricket. If we can do that for the next 4-5 days I think we will be in the thick of it again," Paine said.
"Certainly when you have an inexperienced team and you get a big win like in Perth against the number one team in the world, guys are going to grow in confidence a little bit and come to Melbourne feeling better than when we did to Perth," the skipper said.
India have made three changes for the Boxing Day Test but Paine is not bothered about changes in opposition rank.
"India's changes don't really bother us because we have done our homework on all of their players for a number of weeks now. We have been prepared for all of them to play. What they do is their business, and we will keep focussing on what we are doing," Paine said.
As is the norm, Australia named their playing eleven with Mitchell Marsh coming in the side replacing Peter Handscomb.
Paine said that the change is to do with bowling and it would help out their four-bowler attack, before adding that Handscomb could be back for the Sydney Test.
"We did it last year during the Ashes as well and majority of this decision is based on the fact that it will be hot and the bowlers have had a big role play. We think Mitch can come in and do a good job with the bat and will be a great support for our bowlers as well.
"Peter knows that there are things we would like him to improve. Going into Sydney, where it spins, I think he will come back into it quickly because he is our best player of spin.”