Pujara could get the selectors' nod if Ajit Agarkar and his team decide to fall back on his experience.
With 765 international scalps in his bag, Ashwin is the second-highest wicket-taker from India after Anil Kumble.
The 38-year-old played the day-night Test in Adelaide and picked up one wicket.
Virat Kohli booed by home fans after bumping shoulders with Konstas on the pitch after the 19-year-old smashed India's bowlers around the park early on.
Jaiswal has made a reputation as one of the most ferocious Test openers in a long time, capable of scoring fast and big both.
'I'm leaning towards McSweeney now for that opening role at the start of the Australian summer.'
India now has 430 points while New Zealand, holding the second spot, has 420 points on the table.
Star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has called for an improved performance from India's batting unit in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, saying the lack of runs from the top-order builds pressure on the lower-order.
'He pursued it, practised hard at it and continued to look for new things as his career progressed, to keep up with the times.'
England are in Australia seeking a fourth Ashes triumph in a row for the first time since the 1890s but they know that if they are to achieve their goal they probably need to get a result at the Gabba.
Images from Day 1 of the fourth Test between Australia and India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday.
Pat Cummins defends team behaviour, terms Travis Head 'a big boy' who can speak for himself
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson (919) continued to lead the batting charts, with the Australian duo of Steve Smith (891) and Marnus Labuschagne (878) rounding up the top three.
Michael Clarke expressed that if star India batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli fail to perform during the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy, they could retire
both Kohli and Rohit have struggled to find their best form, attracting scrutiny following India's recent 0-3 series loss against New Zealand.
'He is someone who has had a big influence on a couple of series. Got to try to keep him quiet.'
Australia captain Pat Cummins is expecting the upcoming series against India to be a survival of the fittest.
Australia's Test regulars will skip the three-match series against Pakistan in November as they prepare for the blockbuster clash against India.
Australian batter Marnus Labuschagne described wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant as the most "amusing" player in the Indian team, ahead of the upcoming five-match Test series between the fierce rivals.
The Indian batters' inability to grind it out against a relentless Australian pace attack in testing conditions left the team precariously placed at 51/4 at the end of a rain-marred day three.
Back-to-back Test series wins over Australia are almost unheard of but India have won the last four they have played.
Australian quick Josh Hazlewood expressed that India's rare series whitewash at home to New Zealand could "awaken a sleeping giant" as they prepare to take on the ICC World Test Championship table-toppers in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy from November 22 onwards.
Out-of-form skipper Rohit Sharma's batting position will be in focus against a dangerous Australia
'Guys like Rishabh Pant have got a muscle memory and the thirst for victory.' 'He was such a key player last time he played there and the Australian public loved him as well, because of the nature of the way he played his game.'
An astute reader of the game both on and off the field, Ashwin might have gauged what was in store going forward and that perhaps made it easier for him to take a call.
With Steven Smith now helming the Australian affairs, and Mahendra Singh Dhoni returning from injury, the 2nd Test at Gabba, starting Tuesday, will shed light on the mindset of the two leaders.
Former Australian skipper Aaron Finch said that Alex Carey and Rishabh Pant, two left-handed wicketkeeper-batters will be extremely important for their respective sides during the highly-anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India.
Nathan McSweeney is on the brink of a major debut, set to partner Usman Khawaja as Australia's opening batters in the series against India.
The wicket-keeper-batter's comeback to cricket has been nothing sort of miraculous. He could barely walk around a year back but hours and hours of relentless rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy helped him make a remarkable comeback to cricket earlier this year in the IPL.
'Gautam Gambhir and Morne Morkel will need to provide Rohit with more inputs like whether to bowl bouncers or bowl round the wicket or whether we are allowing the game to drift.'
Pacer Steven Finn (5 for 33) starred in England's nine-wicket win over India in the third ODI of the tri-series, at the Gabba in Brisbane on Tuesday.
The much talked about the Decision Review System (DRS) came under more scrutiny during the first Test match between South Africa and Australia at Gabba in Brisbane.
The blockbuster five-match Test series between India and Australia will get underway at Perth's Optus Stadium on November 22, the venue replacing Adelaide Oval as the national cricket board's preferred choice for the season opener.
Key players, such as pacer Mitchell Starc, are hitting form at the right time, while star batter Steve Smith is facing early setbacks in his preparations.
Usman Khawaja will return to training on Tuesday after being cleared to play the second Test
K L Rahul or Abhimanyu Easwaran will open the batting for India if captain Rohit Sharma is not available for the first Test against Australia in Perth, said head coach Gautam Gambhir.
'What solution can Gambhir or Nayar possibly give, apart from telling him to not play those deliveries?'
Australia's mouthwatering clash with India sees the two behemoths of the modern game go head-to-head in five tests over six weeks with the tourists eyeing a third straight series triumph Down Under.
Shubman Gill's thumb fracture is certainly a "jolt" for India ahead of the series opener against Australia
