India's fearlessness in dropping star players Ashwin and Jadeja for 1st Test against Australia

With 536 Test wickets, one player is just behind the legendary Anil Kumble in India's all-time wicket-takers list. The other player has notched up 319 Test dismissals. Despite their impressive records, the former has six Test centuries under his belt, while the latter boasts a batting average of 35 in 77 Tests. However, both Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja were surprisingly left out of India's XI for the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Washington Sundar was chosen as the lone spin-bowling all-rounder at the Optus Stadium in Perth ahead of Ashwin and Jadeja.

Interestingly, the last time an Indian Test XI had neither Ashwin nor Jadeja was three years ago in Australia, during that historic Test match at the Gabba in Brisbane. But both of them were unavailable due to injuries. This time, it's different. It's more tactical and on form than stats and records. Because they are heavily in favour of Ashwin and Jadeja, two of India's biggest match-winners in Test cricket in the last decade.

Ashwin has 39 wickets in 10 Tests in Australia - that is the second-most by an overseas spinner in three decades, only behind Anil Kumble, who has 49 in the same number of Tests. Jadeja, on the other hand, has the best bowling average among all overseas spinners in Australia (minimum of 10 wickets). Jadeja has 14 wickets in 4 Tests at an excellent average of 21.78.

On the surface, it might seem like a terribly harsh call to leave out both Ashwin and Jadeja and pick a youngster whose red-bal appearances have been sporadic not only at the international level but also in domestic cricket. But a closer view might reveal a different story.

India have gone in with four pace-bowling options for the series opener. One of them is a seam-bowling all-rounder in Nitish Kumar Reddy, that gives strengths to their batting but makes them slightly vulnerable in the bowling department. They needed to pick a spinner, who could get them wickets if needed, especially in the second innings.

Between Ashwin and Jadeja, despite the latter having better bowling numbers in Australia, one would tilt towards Ashwin more, especially as an attacking option. The fact that the Australian XI has three left-handers - Usman Khawaja, Travis Head and Alex Carey - also makes it moe logical to pick an off-spinner over a left-arm spinner. The decision paid huge dividends to India in the last Tests against New Zealand, where the inspired selection of Sundar brought them 16 wickets in two matches.

But the question here is, why Sundar over Ashwin? Can't Ashwin do the job as a specialist off-spinner? He sure can. But here also comes the factor of strengthening lower-order. Despite all his abilities with the bat, one would agree that Sundar has a better technique for serving in the bouncy Australian conditions than Ashwin.

On current form, Sundar was easily the better spin-bowling all-rounder than the veterans Ashwin and Jadeja, who had a rather indifferent at home against New Zealand.

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar supported India's decision to pick Sundar over Ashwin and Jadeja.

"I think the right call was made. Among three spinners, he is the spinner who has been in great form. He is at the top of his game. Washy had a great series against New Zealand. Indian cricket is evolving. They have left the big names out and gone for somebody who is at the top of his skills considering Australia have three left-handers in the top seven and tow down more down the order," said Manjrekar on Star Sports.

Australia XI: Nathan McSweeney, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins (capt), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood

India XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah (capt), Mohammed Siraj