Ashwin doubtful for Boxing Day Test

India vs Australia Boxing Day Test: Indian cricket team's head coach Ravi Shastri on Sunday said that all-rounder Hardik Pandya has attained full fitness before the third Test, starting December 26 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), but off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin still remains doubtful.

Half-fit players continue to be a concern for India in the ongoing four-match Test series against Australia. After declaring that Ravindra Jadeja is only at 70-80 percent, India head coach Ravi Shahstri revealed that off-spinner R Ashwin is yet to regain his full fitness with only 2 days to go for the Boxing Day Test match in Melbourne

Shastri said that a call on Ashwin, who missed the second Test at Perth due to an abdominal strain, will be taken over the next couple of days. 

"As far as Ashwin is concerned, we are going to take a look and evaluate over the next 48 hours," Shastri said.

The Indian think-tank took a lot of flak for not including a spinner in the previous Test at Perth, which India ended up losing to give away their 1-0 advantage. Captain Virat Kohli pointed out that the nature of the strip at Perth was the reason they had decided to field a four-pronged pace attack. However, the same defence may not be available in Melbourne, where the pitch is expected to be a lot slower. Therefore, the fitness of both Ashwin and Jadeja will be crucial.

The other injured player in the list, Rohit Sharma, however, is in better shape than Ashwin. 

"Rohit Sharma looks good, he has made very good improvement. But then again, we have to see how he pulls up tomorrow (on Monday). He looks good as of today. Pandya is fit," added the coach, who was quoted as saying by the ICC website.

Hardik Pandya, on the other hand, has made a comeback into the Indian squad, after being ruled out of the first two contests because of a back injury. 

Talking on Pandya, Shastri said: "He hasn't played much first-class cricket though, he has played just one game after the injury. We have to be careful before we actually decide on whether he plays or not."

Meanwhile, as the openers (Murali Vijay and KL Rahul) have struggled to accumulate runs beside failing to give a perfect start, the chief coach admitted it was a matter of concern for the team management. 

"It's a big concern. That responsibility, that accountability has to be taken by the top order. They have got the experience, they have got the exposure over the last few years," expressed Shastri.