Team India is set to play three ODIs and five T20Is on their upcoming tour of Australia. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the squad for the limited-overs series on October 4, revealing several key changes from the team that lifted Champions Trophy earlier this year in March.
Veteran stars Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Shreyas Iyer have all returned to the ODI setup.
However, in a significant move, Rohit Sharma has been relieved of captaincy duties, with Shubman Gill appointed as India’s new ODI captain. Shreyas Iyer will serve as his deputy.
Five Champions Trophy Players Miss Out
India last played an ODI during the Champions Trophy 2025, where the Rohit-led side defeated New Zealand to claim the title. But the squad announced for the Australia series shows a notable shift in team dynamics – five players from that victorious lineup have been left out.
Star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who was part of the Champions Trophy-winning team, has not been picked for the series. The selectors opted for Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar instead, reducing the need for another spin-bowling all-rounder.
Pace spearhead Mohammed Shami, who led the attack in Bumrah’s absence during the tournament, is also missing from the squad. Varun Chakravarthy, who shared the top wicket-taker spot with Shami, was another notable omission. Meanwhile, Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant were not considered for selection due to injury concerns.
Fresh Faces Get a Chance
In their place, India has introduced a mix of promising and in-form players. Yashasvi Jaiswal, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Dhruv Jurel, and Prasidh Krishna have all earned call-ups for the ODI series against Australia. None of them were part of India’s Champions Trophy 2025 squad, highlighting a renewed focus on building a younger core for the future.
With Gill taking charge as captain for the first time, all eyes will be on how this revamped Indian side performs in one of the toughest overseas challenges in world cricket.
