India’s focus now shifts to the one-day international against Australia, one of their final three 50-over matches until July, following their 2-1 victory in a challenging Test series to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Furthermore, with the World Cup at home in October and November, each series is a chance to tweak their best mix.

Several regulars who missed the Sri Lanka and New Zealand ODI series are back for India’s 2023 campaign, including Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul. Others, such as Shreyas Iyer, Jasprit Bumrah, and Rishabh Pant, have been sidelined with injuries, and it is unclear when they will return.

The following are some of the most important questions regarding India’s lineup for the ODI series against Australia:

Will Shreyas Iyer’s absence open up a spot for Suryakumar Yadav?

At No. 1, Shreyas has been successful. 4 – 805 runs at an average of 47.35, including two hundreds and five half-centuries in 20 innings; however, injuries have recently been a problem. Due to back stiffness, he was unable to play in the one-day internationals against New Zealand and is now out of the Australia series due to the same issue.

During the New Zealand series, Suryakumar Yadav replaced Shreyas and pitched two innings, scoring 31 and 14. He has, however, been unable to translate his explosive and consistent T20I form into ODI play. Suryakumar’s average in 50-over cricket is only 28.86, and he has only scored two half-centuries in 18 innings. Assuming still up in the air to open his true capacity in ODIs, they could hope to give him three additional games against Australia.

Ishan Kishan back to being reserve opener?

Suryakumar will rival Ishan Kishan and Rahul for putting in the middle order. During the New Zealand series, Kishan batted in the middle order. However, he was unable to improve on his record-breaking fastest ODI double-ton against Bangladesh in December.

India’s first-choice opener was widely anticipated to be Kishan following that injury; however, the team management supported Shubman Gill in that position, which has paid off. In the first ODI, Kishan is likely to partner with Gill as the opener, but if Rohit returns, he could return to being the reserve opener.

In six ODI innings this year, Gill has scored scores of 70, 21, 116, 208, 40*, and 112 — all as an opener. This makes it harder for Kishan to play when Rohit returns, unless the team management chooses him ahead of Suryakumar in the middle order.

His cause has not been helped by Kishan’s recent form. In white-ball formats, he has a highest score of 37 in nine innings since that Chattogram double-hundred. The left-handedness that India’s top order currently lacks, with Pant unavailable and Shikhar Dhawan out of favor, is what Kishan does bring.

Rahul – first-choice keeper in Pant’s absence?

Rahul was first considered as a regular wicketkeeper in white-ball cricket in January 2020, coincidentally, when Australia last visited India for one-day internationals. Rahul seized the opportunity with superb glovework and explosive middle-order batting after Pant suffered a concussion in Mumbai’s series opener; his 80 on a 52-ball at No. Before winning the series 2-1, 5 helped India level the series.

Since then, Rahul has become a regular white-ball keeper, even serving as one for his former IPL team, Kings XI Punjab. In India’s 16 innings as No. 5, Rahul has scored one hundred and six fifties while scoring 658 runs at an average of 50.61 and a strike rate of 102.17. Rahul will be eager to build on his growing middle-order credentials in the ODI format after losing his spot in the Test team to Gill.

What is India’s ideal allrounder combination?

Finding a balance between sufficient bowling options and batting depth is one of India’s most important decisions. In Jadeja’s nonattendance, Washington Sundar and Shardul Thakur filled in the bowling all rounders’ job to great impact in the New Zealand series.

With Jadeja back, India can additionally fortify their batting profundity, particularly on the off chance that they play each of the three – Hardik Pandya, Washington and Jadeja (Axar Patel is a choice too).

As a result, they will need to fill three bowling spots. They could stick with Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and Thakur or give up Thakur’s No. 1 bat. 9 for Jaydev Unadkat’s left-arm variety or Umran Malik’s brash pace.

They could also select either Jadeja or Washington as the No. 1 pick. 7 with Thakur as number 8. They will be able to play Yuzvendra Chahal or Kuldeep Yadav, wrist spinners, while Shami, Siraj, and Malik vie for two slots. Or, if they decide that the conditions call for only two quicks and three spinners, they can select Hardik Pandya as a third seam-bowling option in addition to two specialist fast bowlers, a wrist spinner, and two spinning all-rounders.