India start their campaign against Victoria …

Indian skipper Anil Kumble has vowed to play a near full-strength line-up in Thursday's tour match against Victoria at the Junction Oval in what will be the tourists' only hit-out before the eagerly awaited first 3 mobile Test against Australia at the MCG on Boxing Day.

But while Kumble has promised most of India's big guns will be in action, his team will face a second-string Victorian team.

The Bushrangers not only don't have a representative in the national team but will be without four of their key players in skipper Cameron White (broken foot) and three best fast bowlers in Shane Harwood (groin), Gerard Denton (ankle) and Dirk Nannes, who has been rested.

Victoria's highest profile player Brad Hodge has been named as captain of the 13-man squad but is unlikely to play due to the back injury he sustained just prior to the recent KFC Twenty20 International in Perth against New Zealand.

The Bushrangers are likely to be led by batsman David Hussey with the team to feature two first-class debutants in John Hastings and Aaron Finch.

But India's powerful batting line-up of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, V.V.S Laxman and former skipper Sourav Ganguly will still receive a solid workout with the Vics to play in-form quick Peter Siddle, tall left-armer Allan Wise while all-rounder Andrew McDonald has also resumed bowling duties.

And veteran leg-spinner Bryce McGain, who was just beaten for a place in the first Test squad by Brad Hogg, will have the chance to push his growing national credentials.

Indian skipper Kumble said he had not yet decided on his line-up for the clash against the Vics but said it would be a strong one.

"We would like to play most of them," he said, when asked how many of India's likely Test XI would play against the Vics.

Kumble said the match was important for his team to help them readjust to the faster, bouncier Australian wickets - having just come off a 1-0 win against Pakistan on the low, slow wickets in India.

But he refused to criticise the schedule, even though many people believe that playing just one warm-up game before the first Test will not give India enough time to acclimatise to Australian conditions.

"I think we have played some good tough Test cricket (against Pakistan) leading up to this tour and whatever time we have here we will use to make sure we are ready for the first Test," he said.

Victorian team: Brad Hodge (capt), David Hussey (vice-capt), Aiden Blizzard, Aaron Finch, John Hastings, Nick Jewell, Michael Klinger, Andrew McDonald, Bryce McGain, Robert Quiney, Peter Siddle, Matthew Wade, Allan Wise.