India National Cricket Team vs Australia National Cricket Team Match: Former India wicket-keeper batter Dinesh Karthik has paid a heartfelt tribute to Rohit Sharma following the end of his ODI captaincy. The Board of Control for Cricket in India announced the 15-member squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia on Saturday. Rohit Sharma was included in the squad but was relieved of the captaincy. Shubman Gill was named the new captain and Shreyas Iyer appointed his deputy.
"Rohit Sharma, thank you so much. You were a phenomenal captain, tactically astute, but most importantly, very, very friendly, and got along with everyone and made them feel so comfortable. But for me, the legacy that you have left as a captain is in those big moments, those big matches. You taught this current team what it takes to win. At times, we used to take the backward step when you said, I think we need to press forward. Put more pressure on the opponent, take more risk, and you didn’t leave it to anyone else. I think you started it with the bat, when in the big matches, you said, I’m going to go harder. And that required skill. You got it done, and you did it consistently," DK said in the Instagram video.
"In the last three multi-national tournaments that we have played, India has lost just one game. 2024, deep, 20 World Cup campaign, unbeaten. Champions Trophy, unbeaten. 2023 just that final. That is outstanding. And even after that, you can see the aftereffects. Asia Cup, top unbeaten with a young team, that is what you’ve given this team. India, you’ve left it in a better place than what it was when you started, and that’s always a great sign of a leader with the bat. During your tenure as ODI captain, you’ve averaged 52 and you’ve won 42 of the 56 matches that you’ve led. What an amazing record. All good things, as they say, must come to an end. Well, in this journey, I really hope and wish you’re very proud, because all of India, when it watched you lead that team, it was just a very beautiful journey to have been a part of, and you achieved special things. I hope you’re very, very happy with your journey. It’s been great. It’s been one that’s pleasure-filled to watch. But most importantly, I wish all the very best. Whatever you do in the future, good luck. I know he’s still around as a player, but that captaincy journey was just unbelievable," he added.
Rohit Sharma captained India in 56 ODIs, winning 42 matches with a win percentage of 75. As captain, he scored 2,506 runs in 55 innings at an average of 52.21, including 17 fifties and five centuries.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who retired from Test cricket earlier this year, are included in the squad. Hardik Pandya is out with a left quadriceps injury, and Rishabh Pant is recovering from a fractured foot. Dhruv Jurel will serve as backup wicket-keeper to KL Rahul.
The team includes one frontline spinner, Kuldeep Yadav, and two all-rounders, Washington Sundar and Axar Patel. Mohammed Siraj will lead the pace attack, assisted by Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, and Prasidh Krishna. Jasprit Bumrah has been rested.
The ODI series begins in Perth on October 19. The second match will be in Adelaide on October 23. The final match will be in Sydney on October 25.
India ODI Squad for Australia: 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, Yashasvi Jaiswal.
