Perth: The return of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to the Indian cricket team brings an emotional backdrop to Shubman Gill’s debut as full-time ODI captain in the first one-day match against Australia on Sunday. Kohli and Rohit are rejoining the national team after their participation in the Champions Trophy in March, marking a significant shift in Indian cricket over the past seven months. The team has adapted to the extended absence of both players in at least two formats during this period. The question now arises regarding the contributions Kohli and Rohit can make to the team. It is important to note that both players are regarded among the finest one-day batters in cricket history.
Their return during a series against Australia, a team that has played a pivotal role in their careers, could be fortuitous. However, unlike Kohli, Rohit must adjust to his new position as a senior player. The future of the team is expected to be influenced by Gill, who will always have the presence of Kohli and Rohit as experienced figures behind him. Teams 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.
