Last Updated on 4 years by Charbel Coorey
Indian squad lands in Australia for two-month tour | Indian cricket team lands in Australia to begin preparing for ODIs, T20Is and Tests
The Indian squad has landed in Australia for a two-month-long tour after completing the IPL 2020 tournament. Australia and India will clash for three ODIs, three T20Is and four Test matches, out of which team captain Virat Kohli will play just one Test match after he was granted paternity leave to welcome his first child.
“At the selection committee meeting held on October 26th, 2020, Virat Kohli had informed the BCCI about his plans to return to India after the first Test in Adelaide. The BCCI has granted paternity leave to the Indian captain. He will return after the first Test against Australia in Adelaide”, the board informed.
Rohit Sharma, who was initially injured with a hamstring issue, will join the team in the later part. “The BCCI Medical Team has been monitoring Rohit Sharma’s fitness and has briefed All-India Senior Selection Committee on the same. In consultation with Mr Sharma, it has been decided to rest him for the ODIs and T20Is in Australia to regain full fitness and he has been included in India’s Test squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy”, BCCI informed the media in their official statement on November 9.
After winning the fifth IPL title for Mumbai Indians, Sharma flew to Mumbai, and he will be joining the team on December 17 along with Ishant Sharma. After a stunning performance in IPL 2020, Varun Chakravarthy who played for KKR was picked in the Indian team. However, due to his shoulder injury, the spinner was replaced with T Natarajan – another gem found from the T20 league. Wriddhiman Saha, who was initially reserved as a senior wicket-keeper, flew with the team, and Sanju Samson, who was initially a part of only the T20I squad, has been included in the ODI team as Saha has just sustained injuries to both his hamstrings.
As the team reached the country, they have been subjected to a 14-days quarantine implied by the Australian government despite flying from a bio-secure bubble. The tour starts in Sydney on November 27 with the first ODI. Later, they will play a Day/Night Test in Adelaide, which will be the first time that India will be playing a D/N Test away from home.
Crickteres posted pictures of their travel pictures which has become a new normal after the pandemic outbreak.
Written by Anjali Jha. Follow Anjali on Twitter today.
