Kuldeep Yadav brutally snubbed as India playing XI for 1st ODI vs Australia announced

Former Indian batting coach Sanjay Bangar has revealed his playing XI for the three-match ODI series opener between India and Australia at the Optus Stadium in Perth on October 19.

The three-match ODI series will see the return of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to the Indian cricket team. Kohli and Rohit Sharma were last seen in action for India during their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign in the UAE earlier this year.

Sanjay Bangar reveals bold India XI for First ODI against Australia

Ahead of the first ODI, Bangar chose a strong top order in his preferred playing XI, pairing the new captain, Shubman Gill, with Rohit Sharma at the top.

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Virat Kohli has been drafted at No. 3, while Shreyas Iyer, who will serve as India’s vice-captain, takes the No. 4 spot. On the other hand, KL Rahul returns as wicketkeeper-batter at No. 5. The middle order features Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Washington Sundar.

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A trio of all-rounders will provide the lineup with both depth and balance. However, Bangar made a surprising decision by omitting the in-form wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav, as the former Indian coach opted for a pace-heavy attack led by Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, and Harshit Rana.

Dhruv Jurel, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Prasidh Krishna were the other names missing from Bangar’s playing XI for the first ODI against Australia. Bangar has adopted a bold and modern approach, emphasizing all-round options and fast-bowling firepower to counter the conditions in Perth.

Sanjay Bangar’s Playing XI for Perth ODI:

Shubman Gill (C), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (VC), KL Rahul (WK), Axar Patel, Nitesh Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, and Harshit Rana.

India set for ODI return after ICC Champions Trophy glory

Meanwhile, the Men in Blue will return to ODI action for the first time since their triumphant ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign, where they defeated New Zealand in the final to lift their first ICC ODI title since 2013. The final was Rohit Sharma’s last outing as India’s ODI captain.

Apart from Kohli and Rohit’s return to action, India’s rivalry with Australia has also injected extra excitement among the fans for the ODI series. The two teams last met in a bilateral ODI series before the 2023 ODI World Cup, with India claiming a 2-1 victory at home.

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Since then, India and Australia have clashed three more times—twice in the 2023 World Cup and once in the 2025 Champions Trophy. While India won the group clash at the ODI World Cup and the semifinal of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Australia won the final in Ahmedabad.

As Kohli and Rohit reunite under Shubman Gill’s leadership, all eyes will be on how India’s new-look squad handles the pace and bounce of Australian conditions. Following the three ODIs, India and Australia will also play a three-match T20I series in October-November.