Veteran batsman KL Rahul is set to take charge as captain for the opening two ODIs against Australia, beginning September 22. The squad also sees the return of Ravichandran Ashwin after nearly two years away from the format, with the spinner slated for all three fixtures. Meanwhile, key players Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, and Kuldeep Yadav will be rested for the first two matches to maintain freshness.
While Axar Patel has been named for the final ODI, his physical readiness is still unclear. BCCI's chief selector, Ajit Agarkar, mentioned he is hopeful for a timely recovery. Axar suffered his injury in a meaningless Super 4 game against Bangladesh, which prompted Washington Sundar to step in as a late replacement during the Asia Cup. Despite the setback, the all-rounder is still expected to feature in the ODI series.
Ruturaj Gaikwad has earned a spot in the first two ODIs and will probably open the batting with Shubman Gill. As for Ishan Kishan, the team prefers him in the middle order, likely batting in the 4th or 5th position.
Following their 8th Asia Cup victory, the Men in Blue are aiming to carry that momentum into this three-match series against a powerful Australian team. Once the ODIs conclude, India will play two warm-up games as final preparation for the 2023 World Cup. With the tournament starting next month, both India and Australia are viewed as the primary contenders for the trophy.