Double blow for India as team announced for Perth Test

Ashwin, Rohit ruled out of 2nd Test.

India's premier spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and batsman Rohit Sharma have been ruled out of the second Test, which begins in Perth on Friday, December 14, dealing a double blow to the visitors at a time when opener Prithvi Shaw is yet to recover from an ankle injury.

With the trio unavailable for selection, India included Hanuma Vihari, Ravindra Jadeja, Umesh Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar in a 13-man squad announced on the eve of the second Test.

While Shaw injured his ankle while fielding in the sole warm-up game before the series opener, Ashwin suffered an abdominal strain and Rohit hurt his back during the first Test which India won by 31 runs.

'Prithvi Shaw is recovering well from his left ankle injury but still undergoing treatment. R Ashwin has a left-sided abdominal strain. He is receiving treatment at the moment. Rohit Sharma jarred his lower back while fielding in the 1st Test at Adelaide. He is undergoing treatment. He too is ruled out of the second Test,' read a statement from the BCCI.

'The team management is closely monitoring these players and a call on their availability for the third Test will be taken at an appropriate time,' the statement added.

Ashwin took 6 wickets in the first Test while Rohit, who made a Test comeback at the Adelaide Oval, was expected to retain his place in the playing eleven after scores of 37 and 1.

India's 13-man squad: Virat Kohli (captain), Murali Vijay, K L Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav.