NEW DELHI: Team India departed from Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on Wednesday morning for a long white-ball tour of Australia. The series, starting on October 19, will feature three ODIs and five T20Is, giving fans plenty to look forward to.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli make a much-awaited return to international cricket. The two veterans were last seen in action during the Champions Trophy 2025, where India lifted the trophy. They have now retired from T20Is and stepped away from Test cricket to focus entirely on limited-overs cricket.

BCCI clarifies Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s future ahead of Australia ODIs

Shubman Gill will be leading the ODI squad as the new skipper, taking over from Rohit, who has been relieved of his captaincy duties, confirmed by chief selector Ajit Agarkar.

At the airport, several other key players were spotted, including Gill, Rohit, Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Dhruv Jurel, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Harshit Rana, KL Rahul, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Prasidh Krishna. The squad blends experienced campaigners with promising young talent.

This tour will also serve as preparation for India ahead of the ICC ODI World Cup 2027. The focus will be on building the right combination and balance, ensuring the team is ready to complete the task left unfinished in previous edition.