IND vs AUS 3rd Test: Ravichandran Ashwin in doubt for Boxing Day Test at Melbourne

Ravichandran Ashwin, who is suffering from a abdominal strain would be monitored over the next 48 hours, the ace spinner's injury remains a concern for the Boxing Day Test

India coach Ravi Shastri on Sunday said India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin would be monitored over the next 48 hours as the ace spinner's injury remains a concern for the Boxing Day Test. The 32-year-old is suffering from a abdominal strain. Apart from Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja is also carrying a niggle.

According to a report in cricket.com.au, India coach Ravi Shastri revealed that the left-arm off-spinner needed an injection in his shoulder shortly after he arrived in Australia and team management avoided to take risk by playing him in Perth; typically a batsman-friendly pitch.

"When you look at Perth, we felt (Jadeja) was about 70-80 per cent fit and we didn't want to risk that in Perth," Shastri told cricket.com.au.

"If he was 80 per cent fit here, he (would) play. He had taken an injection even in India but he played domestic cricket after that. He still felt stiff in the shoulder when he came here and he was injected again, and it takes time to settle.

"It took longer than we expected, hence we had to be careful.

"The last thing we wanted was someone breaking down after five or 10 overs and then we are stuck for players to pick for Melbourne or Sydney.

"We'll have to evaluate (his) fitness over a 24-hour period and take it one step from there and also (evaluate) the conditions."

Fit-again Hardik Pandya and opener Rohit Sharma are two players who are likely to grab the two slots within India's playing XI for the third Test at Melbourne.

Also, after dismal performance by the opening duo KL Rahul and Murali Vijay, India is considering if opener Mayank Agarwal should debut in the series against Australia. 

"It's a big concern," Shastri said.

"That accountability has to be taken by the top order and I'm sure they've got the experience, they've got the exposure over the last few years to get out there and deliver."

Australia squad: Tim Paine (c, wk), Josh Hazlewood (vc), Mitch Marsh (vc), Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Peter Handscomb, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Archie Schiller

India squad: Virat Kohli (c), Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Hardik Pandya, Hanuma Vihari, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant (wk), Parthiv Patel (wk), Ravi Ashwin, Ravi Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar