The Indian Cricket Board has revealed two distinct India A teams for the forthcoming three-game limited-overs series versus Australia A in Kanpur, promising an absorbing competition. The series is intended as an essential preparation phase for the primary national team, which will compete against Australia in a three-game ODI series commencing on October 19. Noteworthy is the exclusion of India’s prominent ODI players, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who will not participate despite previous assumptions. Their non-participation has resulted in the assignment of two separate team leaders for the series.
The absence of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma and the rise of dual captaincy
The announcement puts an end to conjecture regarding the potential return of Rohit and Kohli to competitive cricket via the India A series. Both athletes, who have been inactive since the conclusion of Indian Premier League 2025 in May, last played for India during the Champions Trophy 2025 in March. This marks their first appearance in India’s limited-overs uniforms since that event.
A key piece of information is that both Kohli and Rohit have stepped away from Test matches and T20 Internationals, with ODIs now being the sole format they participate in for the national squad. While both were being considered for a return in the India A series, it is now anticipated that they will directly rejoin the senior ODI series against Australia in October. In their absence, the BCCI has put in place a dual leadership strategy. Rajat Patidar, the IPL-winning captain, will captain the Indian A squad in the opening ODI, while promising player Tilak Varma will take on the captaincy for the concluding two games. This choice enables the board to assess fresh leadership possibilities and evaluate developing talents.
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India’s squad ODI composition against Australia and the Kanpur schedule
The BCCI has deliberately selected two distinct teams for the three-match series, offering opportunities to a diverse range of emerging players. All matches are scheduled to be held at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur. The first ODI, scheduled for September 30, will feature Patidar as the captain, leading a team that includes the core members of the squad such as Prabhsimran Singh, Riyan Parag, Ayush Badoni and Ravi Bishnoi.
For the second and third ODIs, slated for October 3 and October 5 respectively, Varma will assume the role of captain, with Rajat Patidar acting as his deputy. The squad for the final two matches will also feature players like Abhishek Sharma, Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh, who are expected to join the team following the completion of their commitments in the Asia Cup 2025. The article also points out the absence of other regular players such as Shubman Gill, KL Rahul and Mohammed Siraj, who were not selected for the series due to the commencement of the West Indies Test series on October 2.
India A squad for the 1st one-day match:
Rajat Patidar (C), Prabhsimran Singh (WK), Riyan Parag, Ayush Badoni, Suryansh Shedge, Vipraj Nigam, Nishant Sindhu, Gurjapneet Singh, Yudhvir Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Abhishek Porel (WK), Priyansh Arya, Simarjeet Singh.
India A squad for 2nd and 3rd one-day:
Tilak Varma (C), Rajat Patidar (VC), Abhishek Sharma, Prabhsimran Singh (WK), Riyan Parag, Ayush Badoni, Suryansh Shedge, Vipraj Nigam, Nishant Sindhu, Gurjapneet Singh, Yudhvir Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Abhishek Porel (WK), Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh.
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