Hardik Pandya Captain, No Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma Again: India’s Probable Squad For Australia T20I Series

Team India will stay on the road after the 2023 World Cup and host Australia in a five-match T20I series across different centres in the country. The final of the World Cup is scheduled to be played on November 20 while the India-Australia series is scheduled to start on November 23. Many of the senior players are expected to be rested for the series.

Hardik Pandya, who was ruled out of the 2023 World Cup due to an ankle injury, could return to lead the team. There is still no official word on Hardik’s comeback but if fit, he will lead the Men in Blue. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are all but confirmed to be rested for the series.

Not just them, many other players are also expected to be rested for the series. As the fans wait for the official squad, we have a look at India’s probable 15-member team for the Australia T20I series –

Openers

Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal look set to retain their spots. Ruturaj led Team India in the 2023 Asian Games and will retain his spot. Yashasvi has also done well with the bat and looks set to be given another run. Rohit Sharma is unlikely to play the series and youngsters will open the innings in his absence. Shubman Gill too is expected to be rested for the series.

Middle-order

Virat Kohli should be among the players rested for the series, which means Suryakumar Yadav will bat at number three. He is the stand-in vice-captain of the T20I team and will retain that job.

Virat and Rohit have not played a T20I since 2022 but that does not mean that their T20I career is over. A clear word on their future should be out when the BCCI announces the squad. Rinku Singh will bat in the middle-order.

All-rounders

Axar Patel has proven his fitness in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and will make his return for the T20I series against Australia. Washington Sundar and Tilak Varma are expected to retain their spots. The duo could be dropped when Ravindra Jadeja makes his return for the South Africa series.

Hardik Pandya will be the sole pace-bowling all-rounder in the team. He has been leading India in T20I cricket since 2022 and will once again don the captain’s hat. Hardik got ruled out of the 2023 World Cup due to an ankle issue.

Bowlers

Snubbed from the World Cup squad, Yuzvendra Chahal will make his return for the T20I series. He is a regular in the shortest format and can’t be ignored from this format. Kuldeep Yadav will also retain his spot.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar scalped 16 wickets in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and could make his return in the team to lead the pace attack. Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan and Mukesh Kumar are expected to retain their spots in the team.

India’s probable squad for Australia T20I series: Hardik Pandya (Captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Suryakumar Yadav (Vice-Captain), Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Sanju Samson, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar