India set to axe veteran superstar Ravindra Jadeja for opening Test of summer against Australia

India is plotting a selection bombshell, with the tourists set to shake up their line-up to start the summer and sideline a noted Australia-killer from recent years.

India is considering dropping a major selection bombshell, with long-time Australian nemesis Ravindra Jadeja fighting for his place in the first Test team.

Reports out of India are adamant spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is instead locked into face Australia in the Border Gavaskar Trophy opener in Perth, leaving Jadeja on the verge of being axed for debutant all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy.

It would be a significant selection shock because Jadeja is coming off a 10-wicket haul in his last Test and for the past three years the mercurial left-arm spinner – who also has four Test centuries – has been an automatic pick ahead of Ashwin for overseas tours.

Ravindra Jadeja is expected to miss selection for the Perth Test. Picture: AFP

Jadeja has an imposing record against Australia where he has 89 wickets from 17 Tests at an average of just 19 and has been the engineer of many miserable moments for Aussie teams over the years.

Ashwin is a champion spinner in his own right, but he has struggled in Australia perhaps more than anywhere else, averaging 42.15 for his 39 wickets from 10 Tests down under.

Jadeja (R) has been a proven performer for India, including against Australia in recent years. Picture: Getty

But it appears Ashwin is being preferred as a weapon to take down Australia’s left-hand trio Usman Khawaja, Travis Head and Alex Carey.

Ashwin also backs himself as a Steve Smith destroyer as well.

Nathan Lyon has an imposing record in Perth and Indian selectors are banking on Ashwin being able to also benefit from the famous Perth bounce.

Originally published as India set to axe veteran superstar Ravindra Jadeja for opening Test of summer against Australia