India squad for Australia series: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli back in ODI team
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will make their much-anticipated return to international cricket during India’s upcoming tour of Australia later this month. The two stalwarts, who stepped away from T20Is and Tests earlier this year, will feature in the ODI leg of the series, marking their first appearance in national colours since lifting the Champions Trophy in March.
The tour begins with three ODIs on October 19, 23 and 25, followed by five T20Is between October 29 and November 8.
Rohit had made it clear after India’s Champions Trophy triumph that he would not be retiring from the 50-over format. Having led India to its third Champions Trophy crown, the opener had also captained the side to the 2024 T20 World Cup title before retiring from the shortest format following the final. In the Champions Trophy summit clash, Rohit set the tone with a brisk 49 in the PowerPlay, adding 105 for the opening wicket with Shubman Gill, and finishing with a well-crafted 76 off 83 balls.
Kohli too played a pivotal role in the campaign, becoming only the third batter after Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara to breach the 14,000-run mark in ODIs. He ended the tournament as India’s second-highest run-scorer, with 218 runs, further underlining his stature as a cornerstone of India’s batting.
The series will be closely watched for what it signals about India’s long-term plans in ODIs.
Published on Oct 04, 2025
