Sat Dec 14 02:03:10 UTC 2024: ## Jadeja Replaces Ashwin in India’s Lineup for Brisbane Test

**Brisbane, Australia –** India has made two changes to its playing XI for the third Test against Australia in Brisbane, replacing R Ashwin with Ravindra Jadeja and Harshit Rana with Akash Deep. Australia has also made one change, bringing back Josh Hazlewood in place of Scott Boland.

The decision to drop Ashwin, who performed adequately in the previous match, is surprising. While Ashwin’s bowling figures were not outstanding (1-53 in Adelaide), India’s strategic shift may be influenced by Jadeja’s superior batting capabilities, a significant factor given India’s struggles with the bat throughout the series.

The selection also reflects India’s preference for a spin-bowling all-rounder. The team has opted for a different spinner for each Test so far: Washington Sundar in Perth, Ashwin in Adelaide, and now Jadeja in Brisbane. This choice is believed to be based on each player’s strengths relative to the specific pitch conditions. Jadeja’s strong past performance in Australia (175 runs and 14 wickets in five Tests) further supports this selection.

Interestingly, Jadeja is the only one of India’s three spin-bowling options who hasn’t previously played a Test at the Gabba. Both Ashwin and Sundar have played there previously, with varying degrees of success. While Ashwin’s bowling figures were poor in his past Gabba appearance, Sundar had a stellar performance three years ago, contributing significantly to an Indian victory.

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