Ishant, Rohit left out of India's squads for Australia tour
The BCCI has announced India's squads, across all three formats, for the Australian tour. As of now, marquee players Rohit Sharma and Ishant Sharma won't travel Down Under after they sustained injuries in IPL 2020. However, the BCCI Medical Team will continue to monitor their progress. Four additional bowlers Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Kartik Tyagi, Ishan Porel and T. Natarajan will travel with the Indian contingent.
KL Rahul makes a return to India's Test squad after displaying a cracking form in the ongoing IPL. Rahul is joined by Mohammed Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav in the 18-member Test squad that doesn't include the senior players Rohit Sharma and Ishant Sharma. Besides, top-order batsman Shubman Gill and fast bowler Navdeep Saini have also earned their Test call-up.
Test squad: Virat Kohli (captain), Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar, Ajinkya (vice-captain), Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Bumrah, Shami, Umesh Yadav, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Ashwin, Siraj
The architect-turned cricketer Varun Chakravarthy is a notable inclusion in Team India's T20I squad. He has been impressive throughout the IPL, having registered his maiden five-wicket haul against Delhi Capitals. Interestingly, wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant hasn't found a spot here. In his place, the selectors have given nod to budding wicket-keeper-batsman Sanju Samson. Meanwhile, all-rounder Hardik Pandya also makes a comeback.
T20I squad: Virat Kohli (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Mayank Agarwal, KL Rahul (vice-captain/wicket-keeper), Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Hardik Pandya, Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Shami, Navdeep Saini, Deepak Chahar, Varun Chakravarthy
The selectors have placed their trust in Navdeep Saini and Mayank Agarwal for all three formats, who also make it to the ODI team. Interestingly, Pant misses out in the ODI squad as well, with Shubman getting the green signal. Among fast bowlers, Shardul Thakur will join the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and Navdeep Saini for the tour.
ODI squad: Virat Kohli (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul (vice-captain/wicket-keeper), Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Hardik Pandya, Mayank Agarwal, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Shami, Navdeep Saini, Shardul Thakur
KL Rahul seems to have made huge strides of late. He was the leading run-scorer of the five-match T20I series against New Zealand. Even in the IPL, Rahul presently has the Orange Cap. He will now aim to replicate these performances in the Test format as this could be his breakthrough series. After all, his maiden Test ton came at the SCG in 2014/15.
