Ashwin left out as India opt for four quicks; Australia XI as expected
Mohammed Siraj made inroads with the new ball after India won the the toss and opted to bowl first in the ICC World Test Championship Final.
The combination of a green tinge to the pitch and England's variable overhead weather conditions has persuaded the India selectors to leave out Ashwin and stick with Ravindra Jadeja as the sole spinner - the same approach that they used against England in similar conditions in 2021 and 2022.
India's decision to play both spinners in their team two years ago was seen as a selection error in retrospect, with heavy cloud cover and plenty of rain reducing the impact of spin in the WTC21 Final against New Zealand.
Ashwin was subsequently an unused member of the squad when India toured England in the latest WTC cycle, and the selectors have opted to continue with that policy.
That means that all four of Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav and Shardul Thakur start at The Oval, with Axar Patel and Jaydev Unadkat the other bowlers in the squad to miss out on selection.
The ICC World Test Championship between India and Australia will be held at The Oval, one of the most iconic cricket venues in the world and the first ground to host a Test match in England
KS Bharat edged out Ishan Kishan in India's other big selection decision, with the incumbent wicketkeeper preferred to the uncapped youngster for this one-off Test.
Australia's playing XI is as expected, with skipper Cummins having already essentially named the team in advance.
That means that David Warner continues as opener despite his recent lack of form, while Scott Boland is preferred to Michael Neser as the third quick bowler.
India and Australia players on their preparations for the ICC World Test Championship ahead of day 1 at The Oval
Neser was drafted into the squad on Sunday as an injury replacement for Josh Hazelwood, and has brought his excellent County Championship form with him into the nets.
But Boland's sparkling start to his Test career, along with a style that should be suited to English conditions, has persuaded the selectors to give him a first Test appearance on English soil.
The Teams
**Australia:**David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, KS Bharat, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj