The Indian team management has named the playing XI ahead of the third Test against Australia in Melbourne.
India have made three changes to the squad as KL Rahul, Murali Vijay and Umesh Yadav will have to sit out and the opening combination is set to see a complete alter.
Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane form a formidable middle-order followed by Hanuma Vihari and Rishabh Pant, who will don the gloves once again for the Boxing Day Test.
The team management has picked Mayank Agarwal, Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja in the playing XI in place of KL Rahul, Murali Vijay and Umesh Yadav. Mayank is set to finally make his debut for India.
Rahul, Vijay and Umesh were poor with the bat and ball, respectively, in the second Test match at Perth and hence, will warm the bench now.
Meanwhile, Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami will continue to lead the pace attack.
Injury update:
“Ravichandran Ashwin is recovering well from his left-sided abdominal strain but not 100% fit. The team management is closely monitoring his progress,” the BCCI statement reads.
India’s playing XI:
Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane (vc), Mayank Agarwal, Hanuma Vihari, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah.
