With Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma set to return to action in Australia, the selection committee will have an uphill task ahead when they meet for squad selection on Saturday in Ahmedabad. The two stalwarts, who have retired from T20Is and ODIs, last appeared in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 for their respective franchises. It’s been four months since they last played professional cricket, but they have resumed their training to prepare themselves to turn up for India.
While two slots are booked in the ODI squad, let’s have a look at the leftover spots.
Rohit’s Opening Partner
The ideal choice to partner with Rohit would be Shubman Gill. The Indian management has been projecting him as India’s all-format captain in future, and the process has already begun by crowning
him as the leader in Test cricket. However, a long domestic season lies ahead of him, including the crucial T20 World Cup next year at home. According to PTI, he might be asked to take a rest and skip the white-ball tour of Australia.
In that case, Yashasvi Jaiswal may take the opener’s role.
Kohli, Iyer at 3 & 4
Since Kohli is set for a comeback, it’s a no-brainer for the number 3 position in the line-up. At the same time, Shreyas Iyer has been in a good nick and even scored a hundred in the first unofficial one-day game against Australia A in Kanpur. With these given options, India seem to tick the boxes as far as the top-order is concerned.
Wicketkeeper Choices – KL Rahul & Sanju Samson
Given KL Rahul’s current form, the Karnataka cricketer seems to be irreplaceable. According to PTI, Samson, with a strike-rate of nearly 100 and an average of 55 plus, might just pip Dhruv Jurel for the second wicketkeeper’s slot.
All-rounders: Pandya out, Reddy in
With Pandya unlikely to get fit for the ODIs, Nitish Kumar Reddy looks a likely choice if he doesn’t get unfit during the ongoing Test series. Shivam Dube is also an option, but his bowling is untested in Australian conditions.
Jadeja, Axar automatic selections
The all-rounders with identical characteristics are not only handy wicket-taking options but also add the required batting depth in the line-up. Both Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja’s getting picked would mean Washington Sundar missing out.
Kuldeep and Varun Chakravarthy – Deadly Spin Combo
Kuldeep Yadav and Chakravarthy form a lethal combination when it comes to spin attack in white ball cricket. While Kuldeep is a proven match-winner, Varun was instrumental in India’s Champions Trophy triumph earlier this year, picking nine wickets in just three matches. But the series is in Australia, where quicker pitches may test him. Coach Gautam Gambhir’s inclination toward multi-skilled players could also work against Chakravarthy, given his lack of batting credentials.
Pacers to go with: Siraj, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna
Having featured in the Asia Cup and two back-to-back Tests, Jasprit Bumrah faces another demanding Test series before switching formats for a T20I assignment ahead of the T20 World Cup. Given the workload, the most sensible option would be to rest him from the upcoming white-ball series in Australia. In that case, Siraj would lead the attack, with Harshit Rana and Prasidh Krishna.
India’s Likely ODI Squad For Australia Tour
Rohit Sharma (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Sanju Samson, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Nitish Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna.
