India will make two changes to their playing XI for the third Test against Australia, which starts on Saturday at the Gabba in Brisbane. According to a report in the Indian Express, veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is set to lose his place in the XI with Washington Sundar likely to replace him. Sundar played the series opener in Perth, which India won by 295 runs, but was dropped from the team for the pink-ball Test in Adelaide as Australia leveled the five-match series 1–1 after beating the visitors by 10 wickets have defeated.
The report also added that pacer Akash Deep might play in place of Harshit Rana. However, there is also a possibility that India will field four frontline pacers, especially as the Gabba track has plenty to offer for the quicks.
Rana returned figures of 3/48 and 1/69 on debut in Perth, before going wicketless both innings in Adelaide. Akash, on the other hand, has been more proactive at the nets in Brisbane, which could be a clear indication that captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Gautam Gambhir want to try out the Bangladesh pacer.
Meanwhile, Josh Hazlewood, who was dropped from the XI for the second Test in Adelaide, returns to the squad for the match at the Gabba. The development was confirmed on the eve of the match by Australian captain Pat Cummins.
Scott Boland, who replaced Hazlewood last week, will be sacrificed again despite taking five wickets in the match.
India likely XI: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.
Australia likely XI: Nathan McSweeney, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins (captain), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
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