Jadeja and Rahul back; Bharat, an all-rounder and a batter dropped: India changes for Australia ODIs

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Dress rehearsals for the 50-over World Cup in India later this year has started and teams are picking squads after a lot of brainstorming. They want to give maximum chances to the players whom they expect to deliver during the ICC mega event which kicks off in October this year.

With India's second ODI series starting from March 17 in Mumbai, Team India have also dropped a few players after the comeback of a couple of star players. Let's have a look.

Jadeja, Rahul, Axar return

Ravindra Jadeja

The star all-rounder has made a sensational comeback post his knee injury. In the 4-Test Border-Gavaskar series against Australia, he won Player of the Match awards in the first two matches. He was also adjudged Player of the Series alongside his spin partner Ravichandran Ashwin. He missed the T20 World Cup 2022 but is now all set to make his return to white-ball cricket with the Australia ODIs. The southpaw provides a great balance to the team and will play a massive role in India's campaign during the World Cup.

KL Rahul

The wicketkeeper-batter missed out on the New Zealand ODIs as he took leave from BCCI for his marriage. He was recently dropped from the playing eleven in the last two Test matches against Australia. However, he remains a key member of India's white-ball squad. The absence of Pant has also given him reprieve. Shubman Gill has cemented his position as an opener and the management has tried to fit the 30-year-old in the middle-order. He was India's wicketkeeper-batter in the Sri Lanka ODIs at the start of the year. He will most probably take the same position against Australia

Axar Patel

The all-rounder missed out on the New Zealand ODIs due to family commitments. However, he is back now and is the third spin-bowling all-rounder in the side alongside Jadeja and Washington Sundar.

Dropped players for Australia ODIs

KS Bharat

The wicketkeeper-batter was named alongside Ishan Kishan for the ODI series against New Zealand. However, with Rahul back, he has lost his place in the squad.

Shahbaz Ahmed

The Bengal and RCB all-rounder was named for India's last ODI series against New Zealand. But with Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja back in the squad, he has been shown the exit door.