3 clear indications from India's squad for the ODI series against Australia ft. Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli

Soon after India beat the West Indies by an innings and 140 runs in the first Test of the recently concluded series, the BCCI announced the team's squad for their upcoming tour of Australia. From Sunday, October 19, the Men in Blue will face off against the Aussies in three ODIs and five T20Is.

The opening encounter will be contested at the Optus Stadium in Perth. Ahead of the encounter, Shubman Gill fielded a number of questions from the media. Head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar were also confronted by a wide array of queries during the squad announcement.

Many of the key decision-makers have been rather coy on India's exact thinking, which is never a surprise. Fans and experts have been left to deduce their own theories behind the calls that have been taken.

India’s ODI squad for the Australia tour: Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), Axar Patel, KL Rahul (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal.

On that note, here are three clear indications from India's squad for the Australia ODI series.

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#3 Time is ticking for Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli

India v New Zealand: Final - ICC Champions Trophy 2025 - Source: Getty

Agarkar claimed that it isn't fair on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to talk about their exclusion from 50-over cricket, given the roles played by them in the 2023 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy. He also insisted that their performances can't be scrutinized after every match.

However, Agarkar also hinted that the next edition of the World Cup is a long way away. It remains to be seen whether Rohit and Kohli can make the grade for the competition, and if their form and fitness drop off, the Men in Blue will need to take some bold calls.

The decision to appoint Shubman Gill as captain, coupled with Yashasvi Jaiswal's inclusion in the ODI squad, indicate that the selectors know they can't be certain about the star duo's future. Even though the series hasn't even started, time is ticking for Rohit and Kohli.

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#2 The BCCI still like all-format captaincy options

India v Pakistan - Asia Cup Final - Source: Getty

Recently appointed India's Test captain, Shubman Gill will now assume control of the 50-over side as well. Agarkar stated that it's difficult to have different captaincy options across formats, but other successful countries like England and Australia have managed that fairly easily.

Nevertheless, Gill's appointment ushers India into a new era in ODIs. Their plan for the 2027 World Cup is clear at least from a leadership perspective, and the selectors have thrown their weight behind the star opener to be astute at the helm. It'll be interesting to see how he performs Down Under.

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#1 India will find it very tough to have batting depth in their ODI side

India v New Zealand: Final - ICC Champions Trophy 2025 - Source: Getty

Hardik Pandya's absence from the Australia ODIs following an injury sustained in the Asia Cup raises an important question. How will India give themselves enough quality bowling options while maintaining batting depth?

None of the specialist fast bowlers can wield the willow, and Kuldeep Yadav doesn't offer much with the bat either. Nitish Kumar Reddy can replace Hardik, but he and Axar Patel will have to take up roles in the top seven. The visitors won't be able to play Washington Sundar without making their bowling attack very thin.

Other world-class teams, including England, Australia and South Africa, have sides packed with depth and bowling options. As cricket continues to evolve, India will likely find it very difficult to compete if they don't find a solution to the problem.