Follow UsFormats might have changed, but Kuldeep Yadav continues to suffer outside home conditions as the left-arm wrist-spinner has been dropped from India’s playing XI for the first ODI against Australia in Perth, with off-spinner Washington Sundar taking his place instead.
Kuldeep was integral to India winning the Champions Trophy in March but the visitors opting for batting depth means that the 30-year-old misses out, with Axar Patel being the other spinner in the XI. Sundar and Axar, however, are not the only all-rounders in the side as Nitish Reddy has been handed his maiden ODI cap in the absence of Hardik Pandya.
There are no other major changes in the Indian side, with Mohammed Siraj leading the pace attack in Jasprit Bumrah’s absence. Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana are the second and third seamers, with Prasidh Krishna not making the cut.
Notably, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma both return to international cricket after seven months. This is the latter’s 500th game in international as well, making it a landmark match for him.
For Australia, there are two debutants in Matt Renshaw and Mitch Owen, while the inexperienced pair of Josh Philippe and Cooper Connolly have also been named in the starting XI. Matthew Kuhnemann is playing his first ODI at home while Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood both feature in the starting XI. Mitch Marsh is captaining the side, with incumbent Pat Cummins out with injury.
This is Shubman Gill’s first game as permanent captain of the ODI side.
India Playing XI for first ODI
Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill(c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul(w), Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh
Australia Playing XI for first ODI
Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh(c), Matthew Short, Josh Philippe(w), Matt Renshaw, Cooper Connolly, Mitchell Owen, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Ellis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Josh Hazlewood