3 reasons why Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's absence from India A squad to face Australia A is the wrong move

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently announced the squads for the three-match List-A home series against Australia ‘A’. The matches will be played in Kanpur from September 30. This series will serve as a good preparation for Team India ahead of the white-ball tour of Australia.

There was much speculation about the inclusion of the veteran duo – Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli – in the squad. However, their names were not in the squads chosen by the selection committee. Both players have started preparing for the tour on their own after a long break, but they will not take part in the three-match series.

Here are three reasons why Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s absence from the India A squad to face Australia A is a wrong decision.

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1. They Could Have Used Game Time Before a Tough Tour

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli last played competitively during the 2025 IPL. They retired from Test cricket during the tournament and did not play in the 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in England.

Their last international appearance was in the 2025 Champions Trophy, which India won in February-March 2025. ODIs are rare in the international calendar outside of World Cup years. Since both Rohit and Virat have retired from other formats, any available match, even List-A games, is valuable.

The pair might not play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy later this year due to international duties. The series against Australia ‘A’ could have been a good chance to play competitively, rather than just practicing in nets.

Since they have been away from the game for some time, there may be some rustiness. Even with their experience, starting them straight away against a quality Australia side could be risky.

2. Sends the Wrong Message About Their Long-Term Future

There is ongoing discussion about Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s future in the ODI team. Team management wants to prepare the new-look squad for the 2027 World Cup.

Even though Rohit is the ODI captain and Virat is a top player, their spots in the squad are not guaranteed for the future.

Whether Rohit and Virat did not declare availability, or selectors ignored them, their absence at a time when their long-term roles are being considered does not send a positive message.

3. India ‘A’ Squad Could Have Used Top-Order Reinforcements

India’s ‘A’ team has strong depth, and recent squads have quality players in almost all areas. Still, including Rohit and Virat could have made the team even stronger.

For the first ODI, India ‘A’ has only one established opener, Prabhsimran Singh. The other opener is likely Priyansh Arya, who has limited List-A experience.

If skipper Rajat Patidar bats at No.3, there are not many options in the middle order. While these matches help emerging players gain experience, there was enough space to include Rohit and Virat for one or two games.

It comes down to prioritizing the veterans’ preparation versus giving experience to second-string players. The BCCI chose to focus on the future, rather than making a special case for Rohit and Virat.

India A Squad for 1st One-Day Match:

Rajat Patidar (Captain), Prabhsimran Singh (WK), Riyan Parag, Ayush Badoni, Suryansh Shedge, Vipraj Nigam, Nishant Sindhu, Gurjapneet Singh, Yudhvir Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Abhishek Porel (WK), Priyansh Arya, Simarjeet Singh.

India A Squad for 2nd and 3rd One-Day Matches:

Tilak Varma (Captain), Rajat Patidar (VC), Abhishek Sharma, Prabhsimran Singh (WK), Riyan Parag, Ayush Badoni, Suryansh Shedge, Vipraj Nigam, Nishant Sindhu, Gurjapneet Singh, Yudhvir Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Abhishek Porel (WK), Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh.