After their triumphant Asia Cup 2023 campaign, India are all set to host Australia in a three-match ODI series, starting September 22.
It will be the final rehearsal for both teams before the start of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, slated to get underway on October 5 in India.
On Monday (September 18), the BCCI men's selection committee announced Team India’s squad for the 50-over series against Australia.
While the selectors named 15 players for the first two games, they picked 17 players for the third and final ODI.
The first two ODIs won’t feature leading names such as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as youngsters like Ruturaj Gaikwad and Tilak Varma have been picked in the squad. Wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav was also rested for the first two games as veteran spinner R Ashwin featured in the team.
Left-arm spin all-rounder Akshar Patel suffered a left quadriceps strain in India’s Super 4 match against Bangladesh on Friday (September 15) and was ruled out of the Asia Cup final. Washington Sundar, who replaced Akshar in the Asia Cup final, also retained his place in the team.
All-rounder Hardik Pandya is also not part of the side for the first two ODIs. However, all the senior players will return to the side for the third ODI.
While KL Rahul will lead the team in the first two ODIs, Rohit Sharma will take charge of the side in the series finale.
Akshar Patel has been named in the Indian squad for the third ODI but his inclusion is subject to clearing the fitness.
Indian squad for first two ODIs against Australia:
KL Rahul (C & WK), Ravindra Jadeja (Vice-captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Shardul Thakur, Washington Sundar, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
Indian squad for third ODI against Australia:
Rohit Sharma (C), Hardik Pandya, (Vice-captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Akshar Patel*, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Mohammed Siraj
