India’s Jadeja wins race to be fit for Boxing Day Test

INDIAN all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja will be available for the Boxing Day Test match against Australia after recovering from a shoulder problem, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said.

Jadeja missed the second Test in Perth after symptoms of an injury sustained during this year’s one-day international series against the West Indies returned during India’s tour match in Sydney last month and he was given an injection for the pain.

“In the lead-up to the Perth Test, the management and Jadeja were of the opinion that the intensity of his bowling in the nets could have been higher. For this reason, he was not considered for selection,” the BCCI said.

“Jadeja’s left shoulder has continued to improve and he is now available for the third Test of the series in Melbourne,” BCCI said in a statement.

India coach Ravi Shastri said offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin, pictured, was still recovering from an abdominal strain that caused him to miss the second Test in Perth.

“The problem with Jaddu (Jadeja) is that he had taken an injection four days into coming to Australia, because of some stiffness in the shoulder and it took a while for that injection to settle down,” Shastri said. Ashwin, meanwhile, needed to be evaluated over the next 48 hours, the coach said.

The injuries could open the door for left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who played the last of his five Tests against West Indies at Hyderabad.

The MCG pitch offered little for bowlers of any stripe in the drawn Ashes Test last year, being rated “poor” by the ICC in an embarrassment for the organisers.

But most teams are loath to go in with an all-out pace attack at the venue.

The last time the hosts did so, they were thrashed by an innings and 157 runs against England.

There was better news for batsman Rohit Sharma, who played the opener in Adelaide but missed Perth due to a lower back injury sustained during fielding practice.

Shastri said the batsman had made “a very good improvement” but would still need to be assessed today.

Rohit was replaced by spin bowling all-rounder Hanuma Vihari at number six in Perth.

His reinstatement may depend on whether there is change at the top of India’s order where openers Lokesh Rahul and Murali Vijay are under pressure to keep their spots.

Rahul managed only 48 runs from four innings while Vijay has not fared any better with a total of 49 from as many innings. |