[fjordaan]

My usual method for selecting an object behind another one is to drag-select the whole stack, and then shift-click to deselect the upper objects.

If that still doesn't select only the object you want, then move the upper objects out of the way using Shift-Arrow Keys (if you have "Snap to grid" turned off, otherwise you don't need shift). Count the number of times you hit the arrow key, so that you can easily move them back by the same amount after you've manipulated the object you wanted.

I wouldn't mind a modifier key to cycle through object selections under the cursor as you describe in InDesign.