The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially unveiled the squads for the upcoming One-Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 International (T20I) series against Australia. This announcement brings with it the much-anticipated return of cricketing stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who last represented India during the Champions Trophy earlier this year.
Taking the reins of the ODI side will be young sensation Shubman Gill, who has been named captain. He will be supported by Shreyas Iyer, appointed as the vice-captain, forming a dynamic new leadership duo for the team.
However, one decision in the ODI squad has raised eyebrows: the selection of Dhruv Jurel as the second wicketkeeper, partnering with KL Rahul. Jurel, fresh off an impressive century against the West Indies in the first Test, is yet to make his ODI debut. With Rishabh Pant still recovering from injury, many cricket enthusiasts and experts had anticipated Sanju Samson to fill the backup wicketkeeper role. Yet, the selection committee, headed by chief selector Ajit Agarkar, ultimately opted for Jurel.
India’s ODI Squad for Australia Series:
- Shubman Gill (Captain)
- Rohit Sharma
- Virat Kohli
- Shreyas Iyer (Vice-Captain)
- Axar Patel
- KL Rahul (Wicketkeeper)
- Nitish Kumar Reddy
- Washington Sundar
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Harshit Rana
- Mohammed Siraj
- Arshdeep Singh
- Prasidh Krishna
- Dhruv Jurel (Wicketkeeper)
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
India’s T20I Squad for Australia Series:
- Suryakumar Yadav (Captain)
- Abhishek Sharma
- Shubman Gill (Vice-Captain)
- Tilak Varma
- Nitish Kumar Reddy
- Shivam Dube
- Axar Patel
- Jitesh Sharma (Wicketkeeper)
- Varun Chakaravarthy
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Arshdeep Singh
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Harshit Rana
- Sanju Samson (Wicketkeeper)
- Rinku Singh
- Washington Sundar
Despite his omission from the ODI setup, Sanju Samson retains his spot in the T20I squad. During the recent Asia Cup, he was entrusted with a middle-order batting position, while Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma took on the opening duties. Samson proved his mettle, contributing crucial runs, including a vital 50-run partnership with Tilak Varma in the Asia Cup final against Pakistan, a match where India faced an early collapse at 20 for 3. He concluded the tournament as India’s third-highest run-scorer, accumulating 132 runs at an average of 33.
Samson’s overall ODI record is undeniably strong, boasting 510 runs from 16 matches at an impressive average of 56.7, including three half-centuries and one century. His last ODI century was scored against South Africa, which also marked his most recent appearance in the 50-over format. Despite these commendable statistics, the selectors have chosen to introduce Jurel into the ODI format, underscoring the intense competition and burgeoning talent within India’s limited-overs cricket pool.