An iconic trio, a fascinating leadership change, and the ultimate ‘perform or perish’ assignment: India’s white-ball tour of Australia just got real. On Wednesday, a first wave of Indian cricketers, spearheaded by the star-studded partnership of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, touched down at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi to begin their flight Down Under for a three-match ODI series against Australia, starting October 19.
The two veteran titans, now focused exclusively on the 50-over format, were joined by the man who now captains the ODI ship, Shubman Gill. This first batch also included young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, and the pace duo of Arshdeep Singh and Prasidh Krishna. Krishna, who was benched in the India vs West Indies Test series, was practising for the Australia ODIs during the Test tour.
WATCH Rohit Sharma’s special greeting Virat Kohli
Rohit and Kohli leave for Australia
The three-match ODI series, starting October 19 in Perth before moving to Adelaide and Sydney, marks the first time Kohli and Rohit will be seen in blue since their international retirements from Tests earlier this year. Their return has stirred plenty of anticipation, not just because of their stature, but because of what it could mean for India’s approach in the lead-up to the next 50-over World Cup in 2027. With Gambhir keen to focus on the present rather than speculate on long-term plans, the spotlight now turns to how the duo performs Down Under.
All eyes will be on Shubman Gill too, as it will be his first assignment as ODI skipper. To replace a captain who had the best win percentage in ODI history and also led to T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy wins would be extremely tough. This is Gill’s first major challenge as India’s full-time ODI captain, and leading in the company of two modern-day greats will be both an opportunity and a learning curve. The young skipper has already shown maturity in Tests, but managing roles, expectations, and egos at this level can be ultra important.
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