Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli (Image credit AFP) NEW DELHI: Team India’s departure for the upcoming white-ball series in Australia was marked by smiles, warmth and camaraderie. The players gathered in good spirits, reflecting the mix of continuity and change that defines this new phase of Indian cricket. Newly appointed ODI captain Shubman Gill shared a warm hug with former captain Rohit Sharma, a gesture symbolizing mutual respect and a smooth transition in leadership. Gill also shared a laugh with Virat Kohli and a friendly handshake with vice-captain Shreyas Iyer, setting a positive tone ahead of the tour.The mood inside the team bus appeared cheerful but focused as the players interacted freely, showing that despite the changes in management, the bond within the group remains strong. The 25-year-old captain later took to Instagram and posted a picture with Kohli with the simple caption: “Down Down.” The photo, which captured the pair’s friendly equation, quickly went viral – racking up half a million likes within hours.India will play three ODIs and five T20Is in Australia, with both Rohit and Kohli returning to the ODI set-up. The series marks the start of a new cycle leading up to the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa and serves as an opportunity for the new management group to establish their rhythm. The ODI series begins on October 19 in Perth, followed by matches on October 23 in Adelaide and October 25 in Sydney. The T20I leg runs from October 29 to November 8.India’s ODI squad for Australia: Shubman Gill (captain), 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 (WKhru), Yashasvi Jaiswal. Indian T20I Team: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill (VC), Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep. Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Sanju Samson (WK), Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar.
