Ashwin in race against time for Test

India ace spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is doing everything he can to be fit for the fourth Domain Test after undergoing a solo indoor bowling session at the SCG today.

While the rest of the India squad took the day off, Ashwin travelled to the SCG alongside team physiotherapist Patrick Farhart and another support staff member to bowl in the indoor centre facilities.

Ashwin bowled while the Australians practiced in the outdoor nets and is now in a race against time to be fit for the series finale that starts on Thursday.

The 32-year-old suffered a side strain during the first Test win in Adelaide, where he claimed 6-149 – his best match figures in seven Tests in Australia.

As he sat on the sidelines, Australia bounced back to take the second Test in Perth before the visitors sealed the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a 137-run win in Melbourne.

But with India on the verge of a historic series win on Australian soil, the visitors will be hoping their star spinner will be right to take the field and torment the hosts' left-handers.

Spin twin Ravindra Jadeja played in Melbourne and captured five wickets. The pair could reunite in Sydney if the pitch spins as predicted.

India will make at least one change for the Sydney Test after No.6 Rohit Sharma flew home to be with his wife for birth of their daughter.

Rohit's absence, a turning pitch and the fact that India need only draw the match to win the series could lead to bulk team changes.

India's reserve batsmen in the squad are dropped openers KL Rahul and Murali Vijay, who were both axed after the second Test in Perth.

Should one of those two replace Rohit, they would likely open alongside Mayank Agarwal and push Hanuma Vihari back down the order.

A second spinning option appears likely too, whether that be Ashwin or left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav. Fitting in a second spinner would likely mean one of brilliant trio Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami and Ishant Sharma misses out.

If Kuldeep plays it could leave the batting thin, which might see seam-bowling allrounder Hardik Pandya earn a recall.

Whichever way Virat Kohli's team takes shape, they will be solely focused on leaving Australia as the first India team to win a series here. 

Domain Test Series v India

Dec 6-10: India won by 31 runs

Dec 14-18: Australia won by 146 runs

Dec 26-30: India won by 137 runs

Jan 3-7: Fourth Test, SCG

Australia squad: Tim Paine (c, wk), Josh Hazlewood (vc), Mitch Marsh (vc), Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Peter Handscomb, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc

India squad: Virat Kohli (c), Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Hardik Pandya, Hanuma Vihari, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant (wk), Parthiv Patel (wk), Ravi Ashwin, Ravi Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar