Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Shreyas Iyer to Join Indian Squad Ahead of Australia Tour

New Delhi prepares to welcome key senior players as the Indian cricket team gears up for their Australia tour, with departures scheduled in two batches on October 15.

Former captains Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, along with newly appointed ODI vice-captain Shreyas Iyer, will link up with the Indian squad in New Delhi ahead of the much-anticipated tour Down Under, which kicks off later this month.

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Staggered Departure to Australia

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that the team will travel to Australia in two separate batches, dictated by travel logistics and business-class ticket availability. One group will depart in the morning, while the second batch is slated to leave in the evening.

“Virat and Rohit will arrive in the capital either on the day of departure or a day earlier, depending on their personal schedules,” a BCCI official told PTI.

The squad will first land in Perth, where India opens a three-match ODI series against Australia on October 19, followed by a five-match T20I series.

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Senior Players Return to the ODI Fold

Both Rohit and Kohli were named in the ODI squad despite not being part of the ongoing Test series against West Indies. Their inclusion marks a return to international cricket for the first time since the Champions Trophy earlier this year. Rohit, however, will no longer lead the side, with Test captain Shubman Gill appointed as India’s new ODI skipper.

Shreyas Iyer, entrusted with the vice-captaincy, was omitted from the recent Asia Cup T20 squad but is expected to play a pivotal role in shaping India’s limited-overs unit under Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir.

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Team Bonding Ahead of a Challenging Tour

To foster team cohesion before the demanding Australia tour, Gambhir hosted a squad dinner at his Rajinder Nagar residence in New Delhi. The gathering provided players an opportunity to bond and align ahead of the long overseas assignment.

Players currently engaged in domestic or international fixtures will rejoin the squad in New Delhi after a brief break, depending on the conclusion of India’s second Test against West Indies, scheduled for October 10–14.

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Looking Ahead

India’s tour of Australia will be a critical preparatory step for the 2026 T20 World Cup, with senior players like Rohit and Kohli aiming to make a strong impact in both ODI and T20 formats. The series will also serve as a platform to consolidate the limited-overs core under Shubman Gill’s leadership.