Australia A will be touring India for a series against India A to be played in Puducherry. Australia A and India A will play two multi-day matches on September 22 and September 29. However, the more interesting thing is that India A will also play Australia A in three one-day games as well.
The three one-day games between Australia A and India A will be played on October 6, 9, and 11, with Puducherry hosting the one-dayers as well. These matches are an audition for Indian players ahead of the three ODIs against West Indies at home and five ODIs in New Zealand later this year, before the ICC World Cup 2027.
Here is the predicted India A’s strongest playing XI for the one-day matches vs. Australia A.
Devdutt Padikkal and Sai Sudharsan are likely to open the innings for India A. They have done the same job for their Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises and in domestic cricket as well. Sudharsan has 6 centuries in 30 List-A games and two fifties for India in ODIs. Padikkal is in prime form in 50-over games, with 13 centuries in 42 games at an average of 82.33 and 2796 runs.
Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rajat Patidar, and keeper Prabhsimran Singh will follow next. Gaikwad has one ton and one fifty for India in 9 ODIs and in 104 List-A games, has 21 centuries, an average of 58.61, and a best score of 220* with 5334 runs. Rajat Patidar’s inclusion in the India A squad means BCCI selectors are still looking for him.
Prabhsimran Singh has a good List A record with 2237 runs in 58 games, with 6 centuries and a best score of 167 runs. Hardik Pandya will follow next and will probably play his first games since IPL 2026. As India will be facing West Indies and New Zealand in white-ball cricket, Pandya getting back into form will be crucial.
Naman Dhir, Nishant Sindhu, and Vipraj Nigam will form the lower order. All three of them can bat and bowl easily, with Sindhu and Nigam being the spin all-rounders. Arshad Khan will bring in the left-arm pace angle to the India A bowling attack, while Yash Thakur is likely to be the second main pacer in the India A team.
Predicting India A’s strongest playing XI for the one-day matches vs Australia A:
Devdutt Padikkal (VC), Sai Sudharsan, Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), Rajat Patidar, Prabhsimran Singh (WK), Hardik Pandya, Nishant Sindhu, Naman Dhir, Vipraj Nigam, Arshad Khan, Yash Thakur
