Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma led the first batch of Indian players flying to Australia for the three-match ODI series starting October 19
Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, and Prasidh Krishna also travelled, while head coach Gautam Gambhir and the rest of the staff will leave later
Gambhir said the team isn’t looking too far ahead, calling Kohli and Rohit “quality players” whose experience will be valuable in Australia
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were among the first group of Indian players to depart on Wednesday for the three-match ODI series against Australia starting October 19.
The duo was joined by Test and new ODI captain Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, and pacers Arshdeep Singh and Prasidh Krishna. Several members of the support staff were also part of the early batch.
The players made their way through the Indira Gandhi International Airport amid a small crowd of fans gathered outside, eager to catch a glimpse of the senior pros before they embarked on another overseas assignment.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir and the remaining members of the coaching staff are expected to leave later in the evening.
India’s tour of Australia begins with three ODIs, in Perth, Adelaide, and Sydney, before a five-match T20 International series kicks off on October 29. The white-ball specialists are tentatively scheduled to fly out on October 22.
The ODI leg of the tour has already stirred considerable excitement, particularly with both Rohit and Kohli returning to the format amid ongoing discussions about their long-term future. The two veterans have retired from Tests and T20Is, and their presence in the 50-over setup has naturally drawn attention.
Following India’s 2–0 Test series sweep over the West Indies on Tuesday, Gambhir played down speculation about their 2027 World Cup plans but underlined the importance of experience for the Australian tour.
"The 50-over World Cup is still two and a half years away. It is very important to stay in the present. Obviously they are quality players. They are coming back. Their experience is going to be valuable in Australia," Gambhir had said after the Test series.
He added, "Hopefully those two guys can have a successful tour, and more importantly, as a team we can have a successful series."
The focus now shifts firmly to Perth, where all eyes will be on the two senior-most members of the squad as they begin another chapter in India’s ODI journey.
India ODI Squad For Australia Tour 2025: 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), and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
With PTI Inputs
