Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to return in ODI Series against Australia, Will play their next match at….

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are set to return for the ODI series against Australia, marking their comeback to international cricket. Their next match will be played in Perth.

Written by: Ankit Kumar Edited by: Ankit Kumar

Published: October 4, 2025, 1:45 PM IST

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https://www.india.com/sports/virat-kohli-and-rohit-sharma-to-return-in-odi-series-against-australia-will-play-their-next-match-at-optus-stadium-perth-8113366/ Copy

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to return in ODI Series against Australia, Will play their next match at....

New Delhi: India’s selection committee will select the ODI and T20I squads for the Australia tour on Saturday. This time, RP Singh and Pragyan Ojha are included in the selection panel for the first time. The tour will begin with three ODIs on October 19th, followed by five T20Is from October 29th to November 8th. This tour is full of many big questions and possibilities. It is also learnt that Shubman Gill will be the new ODI captain after replacing Rohit Sharma.

Will players from all formats get rest?

India’s cricket calendar is extremely busy—the Asia Cup, the West Indies Test series, and then the Australia tour immediately after. As a result, all-format players like Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, and Kuldeep Yadav are suffering from fatigue. The selection committee may consider resting them from some matches.

If Gill is rested from ODIs, Yashasvi Jaiswal, who has been in excellent form recently, could get a chance. However, there is no direct replacement for Kuldeep, so a change in the spin combination is possible.

Who will replace Hardik Pandya?

Hardik Pandya was injured in the Asia Cup final, and his participation in the Australia tour is doubtful. In such a situation, Nitish Reddy and Shivam Dube are considered strong contenders as seam-bowling all-rounders.

Who will replace Hardik in ODIs is also a big question. India will have to develop a new pair of all-rounders, keeping the 2027 World Cup in mind.

Who is in the race for fast bowlers?

Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana are already strong options alongside Bumrah. But if Bumrah is rested, Mohammed Siraj or Prasidh Krishna could get a chance as the third specialist fast bowler. Prasidh Krishna, the Purple Cap winner of IPL 2025, is expected to find a place in the T20 team.

Will the number of spin all-rounders decrease?

Australian pitches favor fast bowlers, so only one or two spin all-rounders from Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar may be selected this time. Riyan Parag and Tilak Varma have performed brilliantly for India A, and the selectors may be considering them.

Rishabh Pant is not fit yet—who will be the wicketkeeper?

Rishabh Pant has still not fully recovered from his foot injury. In such a situation, either KL Rahul or Sanju Samson could be the first choice. Young options like Jitesh Sharma and Dhruv Jurel are also available for the T20 team, but experience may be preferred for ODIs.

Story Highlights:

1. RP Singh and Pragyan Ojha are included in the selection committee for the first time.
2. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are likely to return.
3. Shubman Gill is expected to take over as India’s new ODI captain.
4. Hardik Pandya’s fitness remains in doubt, with Nitish Reddy ready as a replacement.
5. KL Rahul or Sanju Samson could handle wicketkeeping in Rishabh Pant’s absence.