Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been recalled for India’s three-match ODI series in Australia, starting 19 October, ending a seven-month absence since the Champions Trophy final. Shubman Gill, already anointed the long-term leader in the 50-over format, keeps the captaincy, with Shreyas Iyer acting as deputy.
Selector-in-chief Ajit Agarkar and his colleagues finalised the squads on Saturday evening in Ahmedabad, shortly after India’s innings win over West Indies in the opening Test. Five members of the Champions Trophy-winning group miss out this time: Ravindra Jadeja and Varun Chakaravarthy are omitted, Hardik Pandya is still managing a quadriceps strain, Rishabh Pant’s broken foot needs more healing time, and Jasprit Bumrah has been rested for the ODIs.
Into the fifteen come all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, fit again after missing the UAE tournament, plus seamers Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh and Prasidh Krishna. Dhruv Jurel and opener Yashasvi Jaiswal round out the changes.
Bumrah’s workload is being parked until the five T20Is that follow the ODIs. He headlines a sixteen-strong T20 squad largely unchanged from the side that lifted the Asia Cup last month. Reddy replaces Hardik, while Washington Sundar’s off-spin earns a recall.
Agarkar spoke briefly after the meeting: “We’re managing fast-bowler workloads with an eye on next year. Jasprit understands the plan.” Gill, when informed of Kohli and Rohit’s return, offered a pragmatic smile. “Two of our best batters are back; my job is to slot them in and get on with it,” he said.
Schedule
ODIs: 19, 23, 25 October – Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne
T20Is: 29 October, 1, 3, 6, 8 November – Hobart, Brisbane, Perth, Sydney, Adelaide
Initial thoughts
• Gill’s promotion is now firmly entrenched; Rohit accepts a senior-pro brief rather than the armband.
• Bumrah skipping the ODIs feels sensible: six white-ball matches in 21 days is still a hefty block.
• The selectors continue to look at all-round options. Reddy’s inclusion across both formats hints at a long-term role parallel to, rather than behind, Hardik.
• Jaiswal’s left-handed aggression gives the top order variety if conditions suit.
India ODI squad
Shubman Gill (capt), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (vice-capt), Axar Patel, KL Rahul (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal.
India T20I squad
Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill (vice-capt), Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Sanju Samson (wk), Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar.
More details, including training camps and travel logistics, are expected early next week.
