Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are set to return for India’s upcoming ODI series in Australia, but selectors face tricky calls. Shubman Gill could open with Rohit, or Yashasvi Jaiswal may get a chance if rested. KL Rahul and Sanju Samson likely handle wicketkeeping, while all-rounders Jadeja, Axar, and Nitish Reddy strengthen the lineup. Kuldeep and Varun Chakravarthy form the spin duo, with Siraj, Harshit Rana, and Prasidh Krishna leading the pace attack in Bumrah’s likely absence.
With Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma set to return, the Indian selectors face a tricky task ahead of the ODI squad announcement on Saturday in Ahmedabad.
Rohit’s opening partner could ideally be Shubman Gill, groomed as India’s future all-format leader. However, with a heavy schedule and the T20 World Cup looming, he may be rested, opening the door for Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Kohli at No. 3 and Shreyas Iyer at No. 4 look like safe bets, the latter fresh from an impressive hundred against Australia A.
KL Rahul remains first-choice wicketkeeper, with Sanju Samson expected to edge out Dhruv Jurel for the second slot, given his strong numbers in ODIs.
Among all-rounders, Hardik Pandya’s absence paves the way for Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube is also an option, but his bowling is untested in Australian conditions.
Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel are near-certain selections, likely pushing Washington Sundar out.
The spin attack could feature Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy, although Australian conditions may test the latter’s effectiveness. With Gautam Gambhir favoring multi-skilled players, his place is not guaranteed.
In the pace department, Jasprit Bumrah may be rested due to workload, leaving Mohammed Siraj to spearhead the attack with Arshdeep, Harshit Rana and Prasidh Krishna as support.
