Mitchell Johnson could take a bag of wickets when Australia hosts India at the Gabba in the second Test. Source: AFP

Can India handle the unfamiliar Brisbane conditions and survive the quick, seam-friendly Gabba pitch?

Will Mitchell Johnson replicate his ferocious 2013 Ashes Brisbane spell?

CLARKE: NOW THE RIGHT TIME FOR SMITH

HUGHES’ SPIRIT STRENGTHENS ‘GABBA FORTRESS’

THE JOKER: MEET THE OTHER VIRAT KOHLI

Can Chris Rogers bounce back and cement his spot in Australia’s Test side?

The answers to these questions will begin to materialise when the first ball is delivered at the Gabba on Wednesday.

Here’s everything you need to know about the second Test in our ultimate guide ...

Mitchell and Shaun Marsh are raring to go ahead of the second Test against India, with the pair set to become the first brothers to play in the same Australia side since Steve and Mark Waugh.

THE TEAMS

DESPITE winning the first Test by 48 runs, Australia has been forced to make two changes to its team.

Michael Clarke’s well-publicised injury problems in Adelaide will see him miss the rest of the Test series and, possibly, Australia’s World Cup campaign. Shaun Marsh, who averages 32.86 from nine Tests, has received another opportunity to impress at international level, but will bat at No. 5, with new skipper Steve Smith elevating himself to No. 4. It means the Marsh boys will become the first set of Australian brothers to play together in a Test since Mark and Steve Waugh in 2002.

The other forced inclusion is Josh Hazlewood — a tall, NSW tearaway likened to Glenn McGrath — who will make his Test debut in the seam-friendly Brisbane conditions. Selectors were keen to unleash Ryan Harris on his home Gabba deck, but they chose to rest the veteran after a heavy first Test workload and replace him with the in-form Hazlewood.

Mitchell and Shaun Marsh will become the first set of siblings to play in the same Australian Test team since Mark Waugh and Steve Waugh in 2002. Source: Getty Images

However the exclusion of Peter Siddle was not forced, after the Victorian took just two wickets from two innings in Adelaide. Siddle’s replacement is the very capable Mitchell Starc, meaning the Aussies will throw two left-arm pacemen at India, with Starc to partner Mitchell Johnson.

Named Australian XI: David Warner, Chris Rogers, Shane Watson, Steve Smith (c), Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Brad Haddin (vc/wk), Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.

Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc have both been selected for the second Test against India, replacing the dropped Peter Siddle and the injured Ryan Harris.

LIKE the first Test, India won’t reveal its starting line-up until the morning of the first day. But great news for Indian fans was revealed on Tuesday, with skipper MS Dhoni announcing he will return from a thumb injury to lead his side into battle at the Gabba. He takes back the captaincy duties from Virat Kohli and replaces Wriddhiman Saha, who stood in for Dhoni behind the stumps in Adelaide.

The Indians are also debating which bowler frontline spinner to play for the Gabba Test. Karn Sharma struggled in his debut Test at the Adelaide Oval, with all four of his wickets occurring due to batsmen playing risky shots in a declaration push. Dhoni hinted that tall off-spinner Ravi Ashwin, who has Test experience in Australia and could produce good bounce in Brisbane, is a strong chance to replace Karn.

Dhoni also hinted that he could play five bowlers in Brisbane. If that happens, it’s doubtful spinners Ashwin and Karn will play in the same side on a pace-friendly pitch, meaning Umesh Yadav could be brought into the side for a batsman.

MS Dhoni will return to lead India at the Gabba. Picture: Tait Schmaal Source: News Corp Australia

Likely Indian team: Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (vc), Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni (c/wk), Ravichandaran Ashwin/Karn Sharma/Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Varun Aaron. (Other squad members: Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Naman Ojha, Lokesh Rahul, Suresh Raina, Wriddhiman Saha)

UNDER PRESSURE

AUSTRALIAN coach Darren Lehmann threw his support behind Chris Rogers on Monday, saying the opener is “great foil for David Warner”. But even Rogers himself will know that to remain in the Test team, he must produce substantial scores. After averaging just 22 against Pakistan in the UAE, Rogers made unconvincing scores of nine and 21 in the first Test. The left-handed batsman, who scored just one and 16 in his only previous Gabba Test (against England one year ago), must break his scoring drought in order to remain Warner’s partner in cricket crime.

Australia’s Chris Rogers is under pressure to perform. Source: Getty Images

THIS four-match series presents Rohit Sharma with the perfect opportunity to cement his spot in India’s Test team. Rohit’s talent has always been evident in the limited-overs formats, most notably during his recent record-breaking knock of 264 — the highest ever individual ODI score — against Sri Lanka in Kolkata. However the right-handed batsman, who has been on the international scene since 2007, has been in and out of the Test team for the past 12 months. Rohit has two big Test tons to his name from eight matches, but they were both against the lowly West Indies on Indian soil. He must lift and perform at the Gabba — a venue where he only averages 7.75 runs per ODI from four games.

KEEP AN EYE ON

JUST over one year ago at the Gabba, Mitchell Johnson produced one of the most lethal, devastating spells of fast bowling in recent memory. The left-armer rattled the English batting line-up, using sheer pace and excellent precision to finish with match figures of 9-103 as Australia romped to a 381-run win over its archrival. With the fast Brisbane wicket set to have an even grass coverage, conditions are primed for Johnson to replicate his Ashes heroics against India — a team that has traditionally struggled on Australia’s faster, bouncier pitches.

India's Cheteshwar Pujara is a key for the second Test in Brisbane. Source: AP

CHETESHWAR Pujara gave the Australian cricket community a glimpse of his potential in the first Test. On an Adelaide wicket that perfectly suited his technique, the 26-year-old compiled 73 in the first innings and was an excellent wingman for Murali Vijay and stand-in skipper Virat Kohli. Pujara, who has a Test average of 49.15 from 25 matches, is an old-fashioned Test batsman that waits patiently for the perfect opportunity to score and keeps the ball along the ground. It will be interesting to see how the right-hander deals with the extra Gabba bounce. But the Aussie bowlers will not want him to settle, as once he’s in at the crease, a big score tends to follow.

THE CONDITIONS

MANY cricket pundits and former players strongly believe the Gabba produced the best Test wicket in the world, especially for bowlers. Opening pacemen should produce ample movement off the green wicket with the new ball, while the spinners are likely to produce plenty of turn and bounce on days four and five as the pitch dries up and becomes dusty. The teams are likely to play in humid, overcast weather conditions across the five days too, meaning the pace bowlers should thrive.

Gabba curator Kevin Mitchell has prepared another green Test wicket. Picture: Tim Marsden Source: News Corp Australia

THE FORM

INDIA was far from disgraced in the first Test, only falling 48 runs short of Australia in the first Test. But we must remember that the match was played on the Adelaide Oval — Australia’s most Indian-like wicket. Brisbane will be the ultimate challenge. Interestingly, India has not lost a Test at the Gabba since 1991 — a stat that will please Indian fans. But the reality is the Indians have only played one Test at the Gabba since 1991 — and that was a draw in 2003.

WHAT THEY SAID

“I am ready. For this to come up so quickly, it’s an amazing thrill. Something I’ve always dreamt of doing. I know coming out at the Gabba, our senior guys will support me 100 per cent. And Brad Haddin, who I am very close with, as the vice-captain, will be right behind me.” New Australian captain Steve Smith is confident he’s the right man for the job.

Steve is excited by the opportunity to lead Australia’s Test team. Picture: Liam Kidston. Source: News Corp Australia

“The last couple of tours we haven’t played here (Brisbane). We have won at some of the fastest Test wickets — Johannesburg and Perth. There will be something extra for the bowlers, especially the fast bowlers. It will be a nice challenge for the youngsters. Hopefully they will stand up and perform.” – Returning captain MS Dhoni is confident his side can adapt to the Gabba conditions.

THE BORDER-GAVASKAR RESULTS AND SCHEDULE

First Test (Adelaide):Australia defeated India by 48 runs

Second Test (Brisbane): Wednesday 17 December — Sunday 21 December

Third Test (Melbourne): Friday 26 December — Tuesday 30 December

Fourth Test (Sydney): Tuesday 6 January — Saturday 10 January