In the Boxing Day Test against Australia, India have dropped their opening batsmen Lokesh Rahul and Murali Vijay from the side that lost in Perth. While spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has also been ruled out of the game due to abdominal injury.

Openers Lokesh Rahul and Murali Vijay failed to perform to perform up to mark in the series.  while fast Bowler Umesh Yadav has also been dropped.

SpinneAshwin missed the second Test in Perth and  team management hoped he would recover to take his place in the side.

 32-year-old was missing from the starting 11 announced by the country`s cricket board (BCCI) on Tuesday.

Talking about other players, Spinning all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja comes into the side after recovering from a shoulder issue. Batsman Rohit Sharma and opener Mayank Agarwal, who will make his Test debut, have been drafted in for the third Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground.

India, who are looking to win their first series in Australia, won the opening Test in Adelaide by 31 runs. In the second Test in Perth, India fell to a 146-run defeat to level the series.

India team: Virat Kohli (captain), Ajinkya Rahane, Mayank Agarwal, Hanuma Vihari, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah