Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Team India starts practice ahead of third Test against Australia at Indore

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Team India has started its practice sessions for the third Test against Australia, which will be played at Indore from March 1 onwards.

Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore will be hosting the third Test between both sides, who are eyeing a spot in the final of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC), which will be played from June 7 onwards at The Oval, London.

Virat Kohli, Kuldeep Yadav, KL Rahul, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj and KS Bharat were some of the players seen sweating it out in the nets, doing some running, fielding drills and perfecting their batting and bowling skills.

"Preps! #TeamIndia get into the groove for the rd #INDvAUS Test in Indore," tweeted the official handle of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

India is currently leading the four-match series by 2-0. Both the Test matches were heavily dominated by the Indian spin trio of Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel, who delivered excellent performances with both bat and ball.

India won the first Test by an innings and 132 runs. They followed it with a six-wicket win in the second Test.

The final Test will be held at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium from March 9 onwards.

After this, a three-match ODI series will be taking place between both sides, from March 17 to March 22.

Australia will be heading into the third Test, with pacer Mitchell Starc and Cameron Green set to make their returns to the national side after missing the first two Tests.

On the other hand, skipper Pat Cummins will miss the third Test due to family health reasons.

Cummins had to fly back home to Sydney after losing the second Test match, explaining in a statement that his mother 'is ill and in palliative care'. He was supposed to return back from home because there was a nine-day break between the second Test match in New Delhi to the third Test match in Indore.

"I have decided against returning to India at this time. I feel I am best being here with my family. I appreciate the overwhelming support I have received from Cricket Australia and my teammates. Thanks for your understanding, " said Australian captain Pat Cummins as per cricket.com.au.

Also pacer Josh Hazlewood and veteran opener David Warner will be missing the remainder of the series due to injuries. Hazlewood also missed the first two Tests due to an Achilles complaint while Warner sustained an elbow injury and concussion while batting in the second Test at New Delhi.

India's Test squad for the third and fourth Test against Australia: Rohit Sharma (Captain), K L Rahul, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Umesh Yadav and Jaydev Unadkat.

India's ODI squad against Australia: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, K L Rahul, Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya (Vice-captain), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umran Malik, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel and Jaydev Unadkat.

With inputs from ANI