Team India is all set to lock horns against Australia for the three-match ODI series. The series will also mark the return of the star Indian duo, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, to competitive cricket since the Champions Trophy 2025.
When asked about the feature of the star duo in the ODI World Cup 2027, the current head coach, Gautam Gambhir, said the global showpiece is still two years away, and it is very important to stay in the present.
“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,” said Gambhir.
“Hopefully those two guys can have a successful tour, and more importantly, as a team we can have a successful series,” he added.
Recently, Team India secured a registered a clean sweep in the two-match Test series against the West Indies under the coaching of Gautam Gambhir.
The three-match ODI series between India and Australia will kick off on October 19, with the first game scheduled to be played at the Optus Stadium in Perth. The second match will be played on October 23 at the Adelaide Oval, followed by the third game on October 25 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
He was then asked what attributes he looks for in a player to pick him in the Indian squad. Answering the question, the head coach said, apart from runs and wickets they have picked, he looks at the hunger they have for the game.
“First and foremost, you look at talent. Then you look at the work ethic. You look at the characters in that dressing room, especially in red-ball cricket,” he said.
“You look at what they bring on the table, apart from the amount of runs and wickets they do, I think how hungry they are. And if you`ve got all those attributes, you will definitely have a successful Test career,” added the 44-year-old former cricketer.
India`s ODI squad for Australia: Shubman Gill (Captain), 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.
(With PTI Inputs)