Ravindra Jadeja, KL Rahul and Jaydev Unadkat return as India announce ODI squad for Australia series

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Sunday evening announced their men’s squad for the upcoming ODI series against Australia.

Captain Rohit Sharma will miss the first ODI due to family commitments, and in his absence, Hardik Pandya will lead the side. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, opening batter KL Rahul and fast bowler Jaydev Unadkat made a return to the ODI squad, while speedster Jasprit Bumrah continues to be sidelined from India’s fixtures.

Jadeja have proved his fitness with match-winning performances in the recent games, while Rahul had previously opted for break to tie the knot with his girlfriend and Bollywood actress Athiya Shetty.

Meanwhile, Unadkat will be back in the ODI set-up after almost ten long years. He last sported the blue jersey in November 2013 against the West Indies.

Now, Unadkat, Mohammad Siraj, Shardul Thakur and Umran Malik will form the Indian pace attack.

The three-match ODI leg between India and Australia will begin in Mumbai at the iconic Wankhede Stadium on March 17, with the second match taking place on March 19 in Visakhapatnam. The third and final ODI will be played at the Chepauk Stadium in Chennai on March 22.

India squad for Australia ODIs:

Rohit Sharma (captain for the 2nd and 3rd ODI), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya (captain for the 1st ODI), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Umran Malik, Jaydev Unadkat.