In a clear indication that Rahul Dravid [ Images ] will be given the opening slot, the Indian team management has decided to leave out Virender Sehwag [ Images ] and Dinesh Kaarthick from the 12 shortlisted for the first cricket Test against Australia [ Images ] starting in Melbourne [ Images ] on Wednesday.

Sehwag, whose very selection for the tour raised eyebrows as he was not even in the list of probables for the series, has probably been left out to accommodate an in-form Yuvraj Singh [ Images ].

His ouster paves the way for Dravid to open the innings with Wasim Jaffer [ Images ], after a gap of two years and the right-hander has already stated that he is willing to do the job for the team's sake.

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"If I am asked to open in the Test matches, I will be happy to do so. I am comfortable doing any role that is given to me by the team management. I try and do the best I can, irrespective of where I bat," he had said when the speculation about him opening the batting first started.

In the bowling department, it will be a toss up between off-spinner Harbhajan Singh [ Images ] and pacer Ishant Sharma [ Images ]. But after skipper Anil Kumble [ Images ] gave hints of going in with a two-pronged spin attack, Harbhajan's chances of making the playing XI look stronger.

"Yes, there is a case for playing two spinners, but it all depends on how the pitch looks the morning of the match. We will take a final call on the matter tomorrow morning," Kumble told a pre-match conference here on Tuesday.

Rookie pacer Pankaj Singh has also been left out of the probable 12.

The team: Anil Kumble (capt), Wasim Jaffer, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman [ Images ], Sachin Tendulkar [ Images ], Sourav Ganguly [ Images ], Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni [ Images ] (wk), Zaheer Khan [ Images ], RP Singh [ Images ], Ishant Sharma, Harbhajan Singh.