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Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri has stated that the upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia will be a benchmark for the Indian talismanic batting duo Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
Speaking at the launch of Kayo Sport’s Summer of Cricket in Sydney, Shastri made it clear that the Indian batting duo is part of the mix for the ICC ODI World Cup in 2027, adding that it also depends on their fitness, hunger, and form.
Furthermore, Shastri also compared Kohli and Rohit’s situation with Steve Smith’s ODI retirement, reckoning that the final decision lies with the players themselves. Notably, the duo will be a part of the Australia ODI series, making their return to international cricket for the first time since the conclusion of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in March.
“That is why they are here (playing the ODI series against Australia). They are part of the mix. It depends on their fitness, their hunger, and, of course, form. So, I think this series is very important to see how they go," he said.
“They (Rohit and Kohli) themselves will know by the end of this series how they feel, and then it is their call. (It’s) The same thing with Steve Smith (who retired from ODIs in March) from Australia’s point of view," he added.
With the ODI series coming up, Gill has been named as the new ODI captain, replacing Rohit Sharma. Notably, Gill has been part of the leadership group across formats at the moment.
India’s ODI squad vs Australia: Shubman Gill (C), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (VC), 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.
AUS vs IND ODI series schedule:
First ODI: October 19, Perth
Second ODI: October 23, Adelaide
Third ODI: October 25, Sydney
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