Team India is set to play three ODIs and five T20 matches during their upcoming tour of Australia. The squad for this tour was announced on October 4. While there haven’t been many changes in the T20 squad, the ODI team looks quite different. The biggest change is that Rohit Sharma has been removed as ODI captain, and Shubman Gill has been appointed as the new ODI skipper. Shreyas Iyer has been named as the vice-captain of the ODI side.
Interestingly, both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are part of the 15-member ODI squad. The duo, popularly known as ROKO, last played in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 and have stayed away from competitive cricket since then. Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has said that if Rohit and Virat wish to play in the 2027 World Cup, they must maintain regular match fitness, not just physical fitness.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Irfan Pathan said, “Rohit and Virat both want to play the 2027 World Cup, but maintaining game fitness will be a major challenge for them. Rohit has worked hard on his fitness, but fitness and match fitness are two different things. If they are not playing regular international cricket, then they must participate in domestic matches.”
Regular match practice is essential: Irfan Pathan
Irfan further added that since both Rohit and Virat have retired from Test and T20 cricket, the long gaps between matches could affect their preparation. He said, “Both are very experienced players, but if they want to continue until the 2027 World Cup, they must play matches regularly. Only then can their dream be fulfilled.”
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made several big decisions for the Australia tour. Mohammed Shami, Ravindra Jadeja, and Varun Chakaravarthy have been dropped from the squad, while Jasprit Bumrah has been rested for the ODI series. Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant are still recovering from injuries and will not be part of the tour.
Under Rohit Sharma’s leadership, India won the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, defeating New Zealand in the final. However, by appointing a new captain, the BCCI has made it clear that it is planning for the future, building a new leadership group with the 2027 ODI World Cup in mind.