Ishant Excluded From India’s 13-Man Squad for Sydney Test vs Aus

India play their fourth and final Test against Australia starting 3 January in Sydney.

Pacer Ishant Sharma was excluded from the 13-man squad for the final Test against Australia.

(Photo: AP)

Ravichandran Ashwin has been named in India’s 13-man squad for the fourth and final Test against Australia after initial reports saying that he wasn’t considered for selection since he wasn’t 100 percent fit.

Pacer Ishant Sharma, on the other hand, has been excluded from the team for unknown reasons. Instead, Umesh Yadav has been named by BCCI in the shortlist of players for the SCG Test scheduled to start on 3 January.

KL Rahul and Kuldeep Yadav are the other two names who could be playing the final Test of the series.

After sustaining a side strain in the first Test in Adelaide, the off-spinner had missed the second and third Tests of the four-match series. The board in a tweet on Wednesday, 2 January, said that a ‘decision on R Ashwin's availability will be taken on the morning of the Test’.

‘Ashwin is Very Disappointed’

Ravichandran Ashwin's "similar injuries" on two successive away tours is a cause of concern and the off-spinner should "focus" on course correction, India captain Virat Kohli.

“Well, it’s unfortunate that Ashwin has had two niggles quite similar in the last couple of away tours (England and now Australia). He, more than anyone else, will be focused to correct this."

Virat Kohli

"The physio and the trainer have spoken to him in terms of what's required (from him) in order to get over that injury. He is very important for sure. In Test cricket, he is a vital part of this team and we want him to be 100 percent fit and for a longer period so that he can contribute to us more in the Test format," Kohli said.

"He (Ashwin) is very disappointed with the fact that he has not been able to recover in time, but the things have been laid out to him (as to) what needs to be done to get back to full fitness. Honestly, you can't predict an injury. When it happens, you just manage and doing what you can to get over that injury," the skipper said.

Kohli feels that young Hanuma Vihari's part-time off-breaks could come in handy.

“Ashwin’s absence does make you alter plans a little bit throughout the course of a series. But the fact that Hanuma Vihari has bowled beautifully whenever we have given him the ball makes us feel absolutely calm about Ashwin not being able to play.”

Virat Kohli

"But, if you see the way Vihari has bowled he has looked like picking up a wicket whenever he comes to bowl. He's pitching the ball in the right areas so we are looking at him as a solid bowling option right now.

"Especially in this Test because he has pace on the ball, he puts in the effort, he's economical and that's all you need from a guy who is coming in to bowl 10-15 overs in a day," the skipper reasoned.

Rohit Sharma was earlier ruled out of the Test after leaving for Mumbai to join his wife, who gave birth to a baby girl. The Indian batsman will join the ODI squad on the 8th of January ahead of the limited-overs series that starts on the 12th.

World No 1-ranked India has now taken a 2-1 lead in the four-match series and retained the Border-Gavaskar trophy, after wins at Melbourne and Adelaide.

India’s Squad for SCG Test

1. Virat Kohli (Captain)
2. A Rahane (Vice-Captain)
3. KL Rahul
4. Mayank Agarwal
5. Cheteshwar Pujara
6. Hanuma Vihari
7. Rishabh Pant
8. Ravindra Jadeja
9. Kuldeep Yadav
10. R Ashwin
11. Mohd Shami
12. Jasprit Bumrah
13. Umesh Yadav

(With inputs from PTI)