Ravichandran Ashwin was the only Indian player that ventured out to the Sydney Cricket Ground on the first day of the year. It was an official off-day for all the team members, but Ashwin spent close to an hour bowling in the indoor nets. He was accompanied by physio, Patrick Farhat, who constantly monitored his progress during the session.

The off-spinner is fighting to be fit for the final Test, as he continues his recovery from a left abdominal strain that saw him miss the second and third Tests. While Ashwin seemed to bowl unhindered, he did leave the training session with an ice pack around the affected area.