India’s all-rounder Hardik Pandya and wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant will miss the upcoming white-ball series against Australia due to injuries, as reported by the Press Trust of India (PTI).
Pandya sustained a quadriceps injury during the Asia Cup 2025, causing him to miss the final match. Pant, on the other hand, suffered a toe fracture during the Test series against England. His injury occurred in the fourth Test, leading to his absence in the fifth match and subsequent exclusion from the West Indies Test series, where he is being replaced by Dhruv Jurel.
The Indian selectors are scheduled to meet on Saturday to finalize the squad for the series, which begins on October 19 in Perth. Discussions are also anticipated regarding the workloads of players Shubman Gill and Jasprit Bumrah. Both participated in the Asia Cup 2025 and are involved in two ongoing Tests against the West Indies at home—Gill serves as captain while Bumrah has made himself available for both matches, with the first Test commencing on October 2. The second Test is set for October 10, and if it extends to October 14, the tight schedule may necessitate resting both players ahead of their travels to Australia. Notably, a home Test series against South Africa is also slated for November.
In other news, prominent batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are anticipated to be selected for the ODI series against Australia. Both players have recently retired from Test and T20 formats, raising questions about their future in ODIs. According to Cricbuzz, Kohli and Sharma are expected to be included in the ODI lineup.
India will undertake an eight-match tour of Australia, featuring three ODIs and five T20Is. The ODI matches are scheduled to take place on October 19, October 23, and October 25, followed by the T20I series beginning on October 29 and concluding on November 8. The announcement for the T20I squad is expected to occur alongside the ODI selections.
