As everyone sank into their own worlds, the coach seemed swamped by the now-customary sea of cellphones. Everyone started texting except Arthur. He seemed lost in thought instead, gazing out of the window; scowling, frowning, scratching his head.
The bus didn't move. The team was waiting for censured vice-captain Shane Watson, who is back in India after being the face of 'HomeworkGate' and the primary target of Arthur's now notorious 'line-in-the-sand' moment.
Axed from the Mohali Test over disciplinary issues, Watson - who left the team in a huff and then complained about the 'harsh' punishment - may now find himself captaining the squad in Delhi if regular skipper Michael Clarke's degenerative back condition doesn't show signs of improvement.
That eventuality may undermine the team management's fierce focus on 'right attitude' but there doesn't seem to be an alternative. By all accounts, Clarke is trying hard to get fit.
"At the moment Shane is not captain of the team," said opener Ed Cowan, who was sent in to parry media questions on Wednesday.
"Mike (Clarke) is expected to play. The best possible medical team is working on his back. He has been playing with pain for a year now and he has got used to it."
It's a peculiar state of affairs for this once-formidable team. Wednesday's nets saw - again coincidentally - Clarke and Watson spurning the opportunity to interact in public. Watson did have a chat with Arthur just before his batting session, though, while worryingly Clarke didn't warm up, field or bat. He was busy having sessions with the physio. In case he can't take the field on Friday, the 'TINA' factor at play may see Watson don leadership duties in spite of his poor form.
"There are expectations the vice-captain will step up if the captain is injured," said Cowan, "If you're in, you're in, and Shane has shown he wants to be a part of the scheme of things. We will accept him because he is such a great player and good leader. He is a very different leader to Michael but we're hoping Michael is fine for this Test."
Even with a bad back, Clarke may score more runs than most others in this struggling Aussie batting line-up. Watson has averaged only 25.20 since becoming vice-captain, and the fact that he cannot bowl negates his all-round contribution. His last Test ton was the 126 against India in Mohali in October 2010. In fact, he has only two Test tons from 40 Tests and averages 36.02.
Arthur told members of the Australian media earlier that Watson's form was a concern, but they could look past him if it came to the captaincy.
"He looks like he's going to get runs every time... he just hasn't kicked on. I'm comfortable that if Pup doesn't come up, he (Watson) could do the job. You would have to assume that because he is still vice-captain that we probably wouldn't go past him, but again that would be a discussion."
If Clarke does get fit, there may be no space for Watson in the XI. The last Test saw Brad Haddin flying in and captaining the side for a while when Clarke left the field. Cowan agreed Australia's rotating cast of characters and inability to settle down to a regular combination had been a factor in the defeats.
The musical chairs will continue in Delhi too, with Starc needing surgery on the bone spurs in his ankle and Pattinson back for selection. Watson's elevation to captaincy, though, could be a dramatic and controversial decision.
Maybe, in the team bus, it wasn't lost on Arthur how coincidence and irony have been Australia's two constant companions on this tour.
Where they once played mind games on opponents, now they play mind games with each other. As India chase a 4-0 score line in the last Test, all the Aussies can pray for is an honourable exit, hopefully with lessons learnt.
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