What will be India's playing XI for first two ODIs against Australia?

India is scheduled to play a three-match ODI series against Australia in the build-up to the all-important ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 at home next month. The BCCI announced the squad for the ODI series on Monday, September 18, wherein some fringe players are added to the mix for the first two matches, while the third one will have all the players involved from the ODI World Cup squad. Also read: India's squad for three-match ODI series against Australia The permanent captain Rohit Sharma has sought rest from the first two ODIs against Australia, which has led to the appointment of KL Rahul as the stand-in captain. Some of the other key Indian players set to not feature in the first two matches are vice-captain Hardik Pandya, Virat Kohli, Kuldeep Yadav, and Axar Patel, whose selection in the third ODI is subjected to his fitness. With such wholesale changes, the Indian team management is looking to give one final opportunity to the fringe players to deliver impressive performances and stay in their ODI World Cup 2023 plans, if there is a player unavailability during the tournament, due to unforeseen reasons. In this article, SportsTiger looks at India's probable playing XI for the first two ODIs against Australia: #PAGE_BREAK# Openers - Ishan Kishan & Shubman Gill Ishan Kishan has been pulling double duty for India in the ODIs, as an opener and a middle-order batter, in the absence of key players in the playing XI. On the other hand, his partner, Shubman Gill has been one of the most consistent batters at the top of the order for Team India in ODIs, in the last year or so. Both these young cricketers were involved in a 51-run unbeaten stand against Sri Lanka at the R Premadasa Stadium to secure the Asia Cup 2023 trophy for India. The highest partnership of 143 runs between Kishan and Gill as openers was against West Indies at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad, which will be a huge confidence booster for them to perform well against Australia in the first two ODIs of the series. #PAGE_BREAK# Middle Order - Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (c)/(wk), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav Shreyas Iyer has been a mainstay for Team India at No. 4 in the last few years, despite his injury problems in recent times, which will keep him in good stead at No. 3 in the batting order, while trying to fill in the shoes of Virat Kohli against Australia in the upcoming ODI series. The stand-in captain KL Rahul has found great success as an ODI batter at No. 5 since the last ODI World Cup, and he took the mantle of batting at No. 4 exceptionally well during the Asia Cup 2023, in the absence of Shreyas Iyer. Tilak Varma had a forgettable debut in ODIs against Bangladesh in the last Super Four match against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup 2023, but the Indian team management has shown faith in him to be a player in the scheme of things in the middle order, with the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 in mind. Suryakumar Yadav has had a forgettable first couple of years in his ODI career, averaging 24.40 in 27 matches, although the Indian captain, coach, and selectors are still expecting him to turn the corner sooner rather than later, in the 50 overs format. #PAGE_BREAK# All-Rounders - Ravindra Jadeja & Ravichandran Ashwin Ravindra Jadeja has been one of the most valuable players for India in limited-overs cricket for years, while going about his business quietly as the key player of the side, with the bat, ball, and in the field. The 34-year-old is in the midst of his worst slump as a batter in ODIs, striking at around 60 runs per 100 balls in the lower middle order since 2022, which is something he will be looking to improve on, against Australia, before the quadrennial spectacle begins next month. The inclusion of Ravichandran Ashwin in the Indian ODI scheme of things, this close to the ICC Cricket World Cup, might come as a surprise to some, but, the current Indian team management is known for going back to their experienced players, if there is an urgent need to balance the squad better. The injury to Axar Patel in the Asia Cup 2023 has meant that the veteran all-rounder has gotten a call-up for India, which he will be looking to take advantage of, to raise his hand up for a potential selection in the ODI World Cup squad. #PAGE_BREAK# Bowlers - Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj While the Indian management has given rest to the key players in the batting and spin bowling side of things, with an eye on keeping them fresh for the ODI World Cup 2023, the entire fast bowling contingent of Team India is available to play the three-match ODI series against Australia. Shardul Thakur hasn’t been picked in the playing XI in all the ODI matches in the buildup to the quadrennial spectacle, but he has had a decent workload under his belt. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj were a major part in the scheme of things for Team India in their successful Asia Cup 2023 campaign, but still, they will be looking to get more overs in, as part of their preparation for the ICC World Cup 2023, against Australia in the upcoming ODI series.

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What will be India's playing XI for first two ODIs against Australia?