(Image source: X.com/@BCCI)
[Saba Sports News] The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced Team India’s squad for the ODI series against Australia, starting on September 22.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been rested for the initial two ODIs. The duo will return to play the final match which will be India’s last fixture before the ODI World Cup 2023.
KL Rahul will captain the side in Rohit’s absence.
Shreyas Iyer, who could only play two matches in the Asia Cup 2023 as the back spasms kept him out of the remaining games, is retained in the squad.
Most importantly, Ravichandran Ashwin has marked his comeback in India’s ODI unit. He last played a one-dayer for India in January 2022.
Ashwin’s return has stemmed due to an injury to Axar Patel. As doubts loom over Axar’s fitness, India are keeping two back-ups in place in the form of Ashwin and Washington Sundar.
Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tilak Varma and Prasidh Krishna are a part of the contingent only for the first two matches.
India’s squad for first two ODIs vs Australia: KL Rahul (c/wk), Ravindra Jadeja (vc), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Shardul Thakur, Washington Sundar, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.
India’s squad for third ODI vs Australia: Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya, (vc), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel (subject to fitness), Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Mohammed Siraj.