Team India squad for Australia series has been announced by selectors on 18th September. In this series, India will be practicing for CWC 2023 and they have taken the opportunity to test bench strength. Australia will play 5 T20Is in India from 23rd November, post World Cup. This 3-ODI series will take off from 22nd September till 27th September. Team India has decided to go with two teams in three matches.
For the first two ODIs, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya and Kuldeep Yadav are rested. They will join the squad in the third one. KL Rahul will captain, in the absence of Rohit Sharma. Most shocking is the inclusion of legendary off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin in the ODI side. He has been confined to Tests and for 20 months, he has been put on exile. Rohit Sharma supported his selection and stated that India might need him. Also, he stated that an excellent spinner like him, if needed, should always be in the playing XI. His inlcusion in Team India, might be a reaction looking at left-handers in other sides.
Ravichandran Ashwin has been most effective on left-handers in Tests. He did not show similar form for India in white-ball cricket. Now, Ashwin would be looking at making a statement against Australia in the ODIs, to make his selection prominent for CWC 2023. Selectors have decided to add him as reserve already and if Axar Patel, remains injured, Ashwin will be added to regular squad. Ashwin as been part of 2011 CWC winning team and this could be a move to repeat that luck, as well. Team India wants to tick all the boxes and Rohit Sharma talked about it too. Let’s wait and see, how Ashwin will make use of this opportunity.
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