India will play three ODIs and five T20Is against Australia.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the squads for the white-ball series against Australia. The Men in Blue will be locking horns with the Aussies in a three-match ODI series starting October 19, which will be followed by five matches in the shortest format. The highlight of the squads was Shubman Gill being appointed as the captain for the ODI side.
Both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were also named in the 15-member ODI squad, and will be playing under the 25-year-old. Shreyas Iyer was appointed as Gill’s deputy in the 50-over format. To add to that, Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah will not board the flight Down Under as they were rested for the ODI series. Bumrah will join the team for the five T20Is later.
Having the same captain for all three formats is one thing that the BCCI has always persisted with, and are expected to go down the same line again. Chairman of Selectors Ajit Agarkar spoke about the thought behind making Shubman Gill the skipper ahead of Rohit Sharma, under whom India lifted the ICC Champions Trophy in March this year.
Appointing Shubman Gill as the skipper in the ODI format would mean that the BCCI is looking at the youngster to lead the side in the 2027 ODI World Cup. As per Agarkar, it would give Gill the time to establish himself at the helm. Moreover, it would be a huge boost for him, as he would be playing his first ODI series as captain under the watchful eyes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
However, Agarkar reasoned BCCI’s argument of sticking with the same skipper across formats. He stated that doing so becomes easier for both the captain and coach in order to maintain good communication amongst themselves. This might be an indication that the selection committee can look at Gill as skipper in the shortest format in the coming years. However, Agarkar confirmed that former captain Rohit Sharma had been told about the decision.
“It’s practically impossible to have 3 different captains for three formats. It is also tough for the coach to plan with 3 different captains. And it gives the next guy enough time to plan for whatever is coming. Sometimes you have to look forward, where you stand, interest of the team etc. Tough call”, said Agarkar in the press conference.
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The Chairman of Selectors went on to state that irrespective of who leads the team, both Rohit and Kohli will always be leaders in the side. Their presence on the field will help Shubman Gill take decisions with more ease and poise. Having said that, amid all the selection buzz, whether the veteran-duo will feature in the 2027 ODI World Cup remains a point of concern.
As per Agarkar, both Rohit and Kohli have not committed about playing the next ODI World Cup in 2027. They have played an instrumental role for the team in the previous years. However, with them announcing retirement from two formats coupled with the number of ODIs being played gone down drastically, it would be a difficult decision to make.
For the Men in Blue, someone like Yashasvi Jaiswal would take up the opener’s slot alongside Shubman Gill, in the absence of the former ODI skipper. However, it would be an uphill task to replace Kohli, who owned the No.3 spot for more than a decade. Some experts have also voiced their opinions saying India might not be ready to play without the experience of the duo.
“Both Rohit and Virat are non committal about the World Cup [2027]”, said Agarkar when asked about the longevity of their careers.
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