Captain Virat Kohli and the team management seem to be under pressure after messing up with selection issues. In the second Test, they failed to pick a specialist spinner and went with an all-pace attack. Now, Umesh Yadav has been dropped for Ravindra Jadeja
Melbourne: India have announced their playing 11 for the third Test against Australia starting at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) from Wednesday.
Out-of-form openers KL Rahul and Murali Vijay have both been dropped. Mayank Agarwal will make his debut, ending a long wait for the Karnataka opening batsman, who has scored truckloads of runs in the domestic circuit.
Also read: India vs Australia series schedule
India will open the batting with Mayank and Hanuma Vihari while Ravindra Jadeja, who was not fully fit, returns to the team. Rohit Sharma too is back. He had missed the second Test due to injury.
The four-Test series is level at 1-1. On the eve of the Test, India announced the team on Twitter.
Captain Virat Kohli and the team management seem to be under pressure after messing up with selection issues.
Also read: Rishabh Pant dropped for Australia, New Zealand ODIs
In the second Test, they failed to pick a specialist spinner and went with an all-pace attack. Now, Umesh Yadav has been dropped for Jadeja.
India name Playing XI for 3rd Test: 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 pic.twitter.com/DImj8BVTj5
— BCCI (@BCCI)Meanwhile, Australia have dropped Peter Handscomb for all-rounder Mitchell Marsh as they announced their playing 11.
Playing 11s for third Test
India: Virat Kohli (captain), Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Mayank Agarwal, Hanuma Vihari, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah
Australia: Tim Paine (captain and wicketkeeper), Aaron Finch, Marcus Harris, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
Match starts 5 AM IST
Read Exclusive COVID-19 Coronavirus News updates, at MyNation.