Mitch Marsh recalled for third Test against India as visitors drop both openers

Australian opener Aaron Finch says the only way he would miss his home Test in Melbourne would be if someone were to "cut off" his finger.

Finch is fit for the Boxing Day Test against India (starts 11.30pm GMT on Tuesday) despite suffering a blow on the glove from a Mohammed Shami ball in the second Test in Perth, which Australia won by 146 runs to level the series at 1-1.

The batsman admitted he felt like the finger "was going to explode".

"It was a bit of a shock. Just the initial pain was the thing that got me," he said. "Being hit a few times in the last month (made it worse).

"With a Boxing Day Test, being from Victoria (state), it's going to have to be cut off (not to play)."

Australia vice-captain Mitch Marsh, omitted from the opening two Tests, has been recalled with head coach Justin Langer saying the all-rounder's bowling ability earned him the nod over struggling mid-order batsman Peter Handscomb, who has mustered just 68 runs in four innings in the series.

"In a perfectly-balanced side, you've got someone who can bowl some overs," Langer told reporters. "Mitch becomes an attractive commodity on a wicket unlike Adelaide and Perth.

"Pete's a very good player of spin bowling and Mitch is a pretty good player of spin bowling, too," he said.

Meanwhile, India have dropped their opening pair, after KL Rahul and Murali Vijay managed to put together just one double-digit stand in four innings during the first two Tests of the series.

In their place, Mayank Agarwal will make his Test debut and spinning all-rounder Hanuma Vihari will join him at the top of the order

Ravindra Jadeja has recovered from a shoulder problem and will play in place of fellow spinner Ravichandran Aswin, who is still recovering from the abdominal strain that ruled him out of the second Test.

The BCCI said in a statement on Jadeja: "In the lead-up to the Perth Test, the management and Jadeja were of the opinion that the intensity of his bowling in the nets could have been higher.

"For this reason, he was not considered for selection. Jadeja's left shoulder has continued to improve and he is now available for the third Test of the series."

Teams

India XI: Mayank Agarwal, Hanuma Vihari, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (captain), Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah

Australia XI: Aaron Finch, Marcus Harris, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (captain-wicketkeeper), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood