Hanuma Vihari's role as an opener is a stop-gap one and he will be given enough opportunities in his preferred middle-order spot should he fail at the top, assured chairman of selectors MSK Prasad.

Vihari along with debutant Mayank Agarwal will open the innings in the Boxing Day Test against Australia after the team management finally lost patience with the out-of-form duo of KL Rahul and Murali Vijay.