Virat Kohli will lead India in the Twenty20 International (T20I) and One-Day Internationals (ODI) series against Australia as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the squads.
India will host Australia in the two-match T20I series, starting on February 24 in Visakhapatnam. The two sides will later face each other in a five-match ODI series which will get underway from March 2 in Hyderabad.
KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant have been included in the T20I and ODI squads ahead of the World Cup 2019. Dinesh Karthik, on the other hand, has been axed from the squad for the series, which will be India’s last 50-over assignment before the 2019 World Cup.
Ravindra Jadeja, Khaleel Ahmed, Shubman Gill, and Mohammed Siraj – all of whom were part of the squad in the recent tour of New Zealand, have also been left out. Meanwhile, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been rested for the first two games of the series.
Jadeja’s axing means India have only two frontline spinners in the squad – Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal in the squad. Kedar Jadhav, Vijay Shankar, and Hardik Pandya will add to the balance of the side with their all-around abilities.
India’s squad for 1st and 2nd ODI against Australia: Virat Kohli (Capt), Rohit Sharma (VC), Shikhar Dhawan, Ambati Rayudu, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni (wk), Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Vijay Shankar, Rishabh Pant, Siddharth Kaul, KL Rahul
India’s squad for remaining three ODIs: Virat Kohli (Capt), Rohit Sharma (VC), Shikhar Dhawan, Ambati Rayudu, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni (wk), Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Vijay Shankar, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant
India’s squad for T20I series against Australia: Virat (Capt), Rohit (VC), KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik, MS Dhoni (WK), Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Vijay Shankar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav, Sidharth Kaul, Mayank Markande
Here’s how the Australia tour of India 2019 Schedule looks like:
| Match | Date | Time (IST) | Venue |
| India vs Australia 1st T20I | 24-Feb | 7.00 pm | Bengaluru |
| India vs Australia 2nd T20I | 27-Feb | 7.00 pm | Visakhapatnam |
| India vs Australia 1st ODI | 02-Mar | 1.30 pm | Hyderabad |
| India vs Australia 2nd ODI | 05-Mar | 1.30 pm | Nagpur |
| India vs Australia 3rd ODI | 08-Mar | 1.30 pm | Ranchi |
| India vs Australia 4th ODI | 10-Mar | 1.30 pm | Mohali |
| India vs Australia 5th ODI | 13-Mar | 1.30 pm | Delhi |
