Shubman Gill-led India depart for Australia tour: Details here
What's the story
The Indian men's cricket team departed for Australia from New Delhi on Wednesday. The tour will see Shubman Gill lead the ODI side for the first time. India will play three ODIs and five T20Is Down Under, starting October 19. This is India's first ODI series since their 2025 Champions Trophy victory. The squad includes veterans Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who have retired from T20I and Test cricket.
Historical context
India's last ODI series in Australia
India last played an ODI series in Australia in the 2021/22 season, losing 1-2. The team has since undergone a major overhaul, with a focus on transition and leadership change. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma remain important figures as they near their retirements. Former cricketer Gautam Gambhir had said, "The World Cup is still two and a half years away. We need to stay in the present."
Match schedule
Schedule of ODI series
The first ODI between hosts Australia and India will be played in Perth on October 19. The second match will be held in Adelaide on October 23, while the third and final ODI of the series is scheduled for Sydney on October 25. After the ODIs, India will play five T20Is against Australia, starting from Canberra on October 29.
Team composition
India's ODI and T20I squads against Australia
ODI squad: Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), Axar Patel, KL Rahul (wicket-keeper), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Dhruv Jurel (wicket-keeper), and Yashasvi Jaiswal. T20I squad: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wicket-keeper), Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Rinku Singh, and Washington Sundar.