The India vs Australia ODI series 2025 is set to take place from October 19 to October 25, and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the India squad. This tour features three One Day Internationals (ODIs) and five Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is).The young talent Shubman Gill will be the ODI series captain with Shreyas Iyer as vice-captain. Former Indian Captain Rohit Sharma was informed of the captaincy changes, and the selection committee, led by chief selector Ajit Agarkar, highlighted the importance of having a single captain across all formats. He said, "It's practically impossible to have three different captains for three formats. At some stage, we have to start thinking about the 2027 World Cup." He also added that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have not confirmed to participate in the 2027 World Cup.
Shubman Gill Takes the Leadership
The 26-year-old Shubman Gill has been appointed as India's new ODI captain, and Shreyas Iyer will be the vice captain. Gill has already proven his best batting performance in world cricket. He is considered one of the most reliable top-order batters. Gill has played 55 ODIs and scored 2775 runs with a top score of 208 runs against New Zealand in 2023. He maintains an ODI average close to 59 and has scored eight centuries. In his early captaincy stint in England, he scored 754 runs. His domestic cricket leadership, especially in the IPL, has helped him become India’s white-ball captain.
Notable Returns to the Squad
After a long break, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli make their comeback to the national team, adding high expectations. KL Rahul is in good form and returns as the wicketkeeper-batsman. He will be an impact player in the middle order. BCCI focuses on young prospects, with Dhruv Jurel, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Nitish Kumar Reddy included. The bowling department is offering a blend of spin and pace options, including Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, and Prasidh Krishna.
Significant Exclusions: Jadeja and Shami
Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Shami are not part of the upcoming ODI squad for the Australia tour. Agarkar confirms Jadeja's absence is temporary and is still in the scheme of things in ODIs. He explained that India needs more than two spin-bowlers, which is why Jadeja has been excluded from the squad. “Right now, we could only take one left-arm spinner for the Australia series. It wasn’t possible to fit in two. Ravindra Jadeja is absolutely in our plans—everyone knows how good he is and what he offers as an all-rounder and a fielder. But for this short series, we wanted to maintain balance with Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav in the squad,” Agarkar stated in the press conference.
The highest wicket-taker, Muhammad Shami, also dropped due to his fitness status, not because of his performance. The chief selector has not mentioned any specific comments about Muhammad Shami’s exclusion.
Major Absences
Rishabh Pant will miss the opportunity due to his ongoing fitness concerns. All-rounder Hardik Pandya’s absence will impact the team, with Nitish Kumar Reddy and Shivam Dube seen as potential replacements.
Challenges Ahead for Gill
The appointment of Shubman Gill as the ODI captain marks a new era in Indian cricket. Being a Captain over the ODI will be challenging. India is considered one of the top teams in the cricketing world. Following former Indian Captain Rohit’s success, fans will have high expectations. There should be a balance between the team and workload management. As a leader, he needs to manage senior players while maintaining his own batting form. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar noted that the decision on a new captain was made to ensure consistency and long-term planning.
ODI Indian Squad
India: Shubman Gill (C), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (VC), Axar Patel, KL Rahul (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Yashasvi Jaiswal
🚨 India’s squad for Tour of Australia announced
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 4, 2025
Shubman Gill named #TeamIndia Captain for ODIs
The #AUSvIND bilateral series comprises three ODIs and five T20Is against Australia in October-November pic.twitter.com/l3I2LA1dBJ