New Delhi, October 15: The first batch of the Indian cricket team, including star batsmen Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, departed for Australia on Wednesday for a three-match One-Day International (ODI) series beginning on October 19.
As per agency report, the squad that left in the morning comprised Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill, opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, and fast bowlers Arshdeep Singh and Prasidh Krishna, along with several members of the support staff. The players were spotted at Indira Gandhi International Airport, where a group of fans gathered outside the terminal to catch a glimpse of their cricketing heroes.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir and a few other members of the coaching staff are scheduled to leave for Australia later in the evening. The first ODI between India and Australia will be played in Perth on October 19, followed by matches in Adelaide and Sydney.
After the ODI series, both teams will play a five-match T20 International series, for which India’s T20 specialists are set to depart on October 22. The T20 series will commence on October 29.
The upcoming series will draw significant attention to the performances of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, whose futures in the ODI format have been the subject of widespread speculation. Both players have already retired from Test and T20 Internationals, making this tour particularly crucial in determining their roles going forward.
Following India’s 2–0 Test series win against the West Indies, head coach Gautam Gambhir had expressed optimism about the duo’s form and impact in Australia but refrained from making any comment regarding their participation in the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Speaking at the post-series press conference, Gambhir had said that the focus should remain on the present rather than future tournaments. He emphasized that both Rohit and Kohli are exceptional players whose vast experience would be immensely valuable during the Australia tour.
