India’s One-Day International (ODI) cricket squad has officially arrived in Australia for an exciting three-match series. Among the first to land on Thursday morning were veteran stars Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, joining new ODI captain Shubman Gill. This tour marks their anticipated return to international cricket since India’s impressive Champions Trophy victory in March.
Despite some initial travel delays, the team was warmly welcomed, with other key players like K.L. Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, and Nitish Kumar Reddy also joining the contingent. Head coach Gautam Gambhir and his support staff are slated to arrive shortly, having departed from Delhi on Wednesday evening.
The action-packed series begins this Sunday in Perth. Following this opener, the teams will head to Adelaide for the second ODI on October 23, and then to Sydney for the third and final match on October 25. Cricket fever will continue with a five-match T20 International series, kicking off immediately after the ODIs on October 29.
This tour holds particular significance as fans eagerly await the performances of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Their involvement in international cricket has been a hot topic, especially with Shubman Gill taking the reins as ODI captain. While both formidable batsmen have stepped back from Test and T20 Internationals, reports indicate their strong desire to continue representing India in the 50-over format, potentially extending their careers until the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Here’s a detailed look at India’s complete schedule for the ODI series in Australia:
- October 16: Team arrives in Perth
- October 16: Optional practice session at Perth Stadium
- October 17: Full practice session at Perth Stadium
- October 17: Press conference scheduled for 12:30 PM local time
- October 18: Final practice session at Perth Stadium
- October 18: Press conference scheduled for 1:00 PM local time
- October 19: 1st ODI: Australia vs India in Perth (9:00 AM IST)
- October 20: Team travels to Adelaide
- October 21: Training session at Adelaide Oval
- October 22: Training session at Adelaide Oval
- October 22: Press conference after training
- October 23: 2nd ODI: Australia vs India in Adelaide (9:00 AM IST)
- October 24: Team travels to Sydney
- October 25: 3rd ODI: Australia vs India in Sydney (9:00 AM IST)