Sydney Test: No confirmation on Ashwin's fitness, Ishant left out

Ravichandran Ashwin, who suffered an abdominal strain on the fourth day of the opening Adelaide Test, trained on Tuesday but has not recovered in time and in all probability miss his third Test in a row.

Ravichandran Ashwin hasn’t recovered in time and in all probability miss the fourth Test against Australia.

India reversed its decision on Wednesday to rule out top spinner Ravichandran Ashwin from the fourth Test against Australia, with pace spearhead Ishant Sharma missing from its 13-man squad.

Indian officials had earlier told reporters Ashwin had not recovered from an abdominal strain that has kept him out of the last two Tests, and skipper Virat Kohli said the offspinner was “very disappointed” to miss the final match of the series.

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But barely an hour later, his name was on the squad list tweeted by the BCCI, India's governing body.

“A decision on R Ashwin's availability will be taken on the morning of the Test,” it said ahead of what is expected to be turning wicket at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

In a surprise, Sharma was not included with fast bowler Umesh Yadav preferred.

Wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav was also named and could play alongside finger-spinner Ravindra Jadeja if Ashwin is not fit and India opt for two slow bowlers.

Middle-order batsman Rohit Sharma, who hit a gritty 63 in the first innings at Melbourne, is not available after jetting back to Mumbai to be with his wife who recently gave birth.

India name 13-man squad for SCG Test: Virat Kohli (C), A Rahane (VC), KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, C Pujara, H Vihari, R Pant, R Jadeja, K Yadav, R Ashwin, M Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav

A decision on R Ashwin's availability will be taken on the morning of the Test #AUSvINDpic.twitter.com/4Lji2FExU8

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 2, 2019

Australia must win in Sydney to prevent India, which leads 2-1, claiming a first-ever series triumph Down Under.