The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has revealed India’s roster for the three-match ODI series against Australia, which begins on October 19. The most significant news is the return of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who are expected to make their international returns after playing their last international match in the 2025 Champions Trophy Final, earlier this year.
The team will be led by Shubman Gill, who was appointed captain of the ODI team, from Rohit, after winning the Champions Trophy. Middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer has been named vice-captain.
Key Selections and Absentees
The selectors, led by ex-fast bowler Ajit Agarkar, confirmed five changes from the Champions Trophy-winning squad. Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakravarthy, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant, and Jasprit Bumrah are all absent from the ODI side for varying reasons.
- Ravindra Jadeja: Left out for balance in team make-up, with Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar already on the tour, the management opted to leave out the second left-arm spinner in Australia’s conditions.
- Varun Chakravarthy: Left out after being part of the squad for the UAE campaign.
- Hardik Pandya: Recovering from a quadriceps injury.
- Rishabh Pant: Recovering from a broken foot sustained in England.
- Jasprit Bumrah: Rested through managing workload, remains part of the squad for T20I.
In their absence, India has called back Nitish Kumar Reddy, who missed the Champions Trophy due to injury, along with Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Dhruv Jurel, and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Opening Combination and Wicketkeeping Call
Agarkar suggested that Gill and Rohit will probably open the batting in the ODIs which may leave the young Jaiswal outside of the starting XI.
The wicketkeeping role has also changed. KL Rahul is the keeper in the XI and Dhruv Jurel gets the call ahead of Sanju Samson. Agarkar explained the choice was backed up by batting positions. Samson’s strong point is the top order where he has had success. It is beneficial for the balance of the team that Jurel, who is not a top order player, has a lower middle order option.
Bumrah’s Workload Management
Although Bumrah has been rested from the ODIs, he is included in the five-match T20I series against Australia, which starts on October 29. Agarkar emphasized the importance of managing the workloads of India’s fast bowlers, especially players like Bumrah and Siraj, who also carry heavy workloads in Test cricket.
“We will manage his workload when it is feasible,” Agarkar said. “He is crucial to us, but we have to protect him. The same goes for any other seamers. It’s about managing availability and fitness.”
Full Schedule
- ODIs: October 19 (Sydney), October 23 (Melbourne), October 25 (Brisbane)
- T20Is: October 29 to November 8
India Squads for ODIs & T20Is
ODI Squad: Shubman Gill (capt), Shreyas Iyer (vc), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Axar Patel.
T20I Squad: Shubman Gill (capt), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sanju Samson (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Hardik Pandya (out, replaced by Reddy), Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Ravi Bishnoi, Axar Patel.