But in a fillip for Wade, Healy is backing the feisty Victorian to come good in a potentially make or break series for him and reaffirm his status as the country's premier stumper.

The 29-year-old is back at the scene where his Test career unravelled spectacularly four years ago and with the man he replaced, Peter Nevill, scoring prolifically in the Shield.

Wade is yet to produce the goods with the bat since his recall but his form with the gloves in his second coming on the Test scene has been solid - and his leadership valued by selectors.

Whether he can maintain those standards in the next six weeks is one of the major question marks hovering over Australia as they aim for only their second series victory in India in nearly 50 years.

The conditions he will confront will not be as treacherous as those of the ill-fated 2013 tour but should nevertheless be difficult enough to expose any flaws in his glovework.

Healy's biggest concern for Wade is the sheer volume of balls he will have to take standing up to the stumps. Mistakes will be magnified, and criticism heavy for any missed chances against India's red-hot batting line-up.

"You have to stay so ready for every ball and it's quicker, less break between balls than there is with fast bowlers," Healy said. "You're getting more balls per hour, possibly less action but you have to be more ready.

"You go long periods thinking you'll catch the ball and not having to. And you have to keep yourself ready for the one that's beaten the bat or a faster ball, a yorker that the batsman's played over whereas the last four hours he's been hitting that."

While the subcontinent is synonymous with spin, another challenge for Wade will be reverse swing, which Healy believes could be even more difficult.

"Because it will be reverse swing that's fast through the air and not bouncing a whole lot," Healy said.

"So you need to stand up a fair bit and it will be late fast swing and that's a real challenge.

"If he's got a challenging spinner at one end and Starcy [Mitchell Starc] bowling late, fast reverse swing that's something he will have to be really ready for."

If Wade does not get it right, it could spell curtains for his Test career. If he succeeds, however, and produces the goods with the bat he will consolidate his place for next summer's Ashes.

"To get it right, it would be the biggest challenge of his career," Healy said.

"He's a fighter and he's generally up for the challenge. That won't daunt him, he'll take it on. I've seen some practice he was doing over there this week, he's already working hard on it. He knows the basics. He has to perform and repeat. He'll be fine.

"I'm backing him in."

Healy, however, maintains Nevill was unlucky to be dropped during the series against South Africa as he feels the deposed wicketkeeper, who averages a modest 22, had not been given a good run.

"Now that he's not there we've got to decide. This tour will probably decide it for Wadey and that's what I'm backing him to get through - use every fighting instinct he's got to be a really positive influence on a team performance," Healy said.

"I want to back every keeper we've got to do that. They know the basics, they have to get them down pat so they can be a positive influence.

"They can start thinking about other things in the team rather than themselves and their own performance. That's when you know you have a keeper and someone the opposition feel and the team enjoy."