The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Sunday announced India’s 18-member squad for the three-match ODI series against Australia, starting March 17.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Sunday announced India’s 18-member squad for the three-match ODI series against Australia, starting March 17. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, opener KL Rahul, and fast bowler Jaydev Unadkat made a return to the ODI squad while Jasprit Bumrah continues to be sidelined from India’s fixtures.
India opener Rahul had missed the entire white-ball fixture against New Zealand last month owing to his personal commitments while Jadeja will be making a comeback to the format after almost seven months, largely owing to an injury he had incurred during the Asia Cup last year.
Jadeja, earlier, made a sensational return from the injury in his first outing in the Indian jersey in Test format, picking a five-wicket haul in Nagpur against Australia in the first match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series while also scoring a knock of 70. In the second match, in New Delhi, he picked a seven-fer in the second innings. Jadeja picked up the Player of the Match award in the both the Tests as India took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.
The highlight of the squad announcement has however been the return of Unadkat to the ODI squad after close to 10 years. The left-arm pacer has featured in the format in seven games, the last being in November 2013 against West Indies.
India captain Rohit Sharma will miss the opening ODI match “due to family commitments” and hence Hardik Pandya will lead the side in his stead.
“Mr Rohit Sharma will be unavailable for the first ODI due to family commitments, and Mr Hardik Pandya will lead the side in the first ODI,” said the BCCI statement.
India’s ODI squad: Rohit Sharma (C), S Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya (VC), R Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, W Sundar, Y Chahal, Mohd Shami, Mohd Siraj, Umran Malik, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Jaydev Unadkat
