New Delhi, Oct 15: Captain Shubman Gill, along with Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and other members of Team India, departed for Australia on Wednesday morning to begin their much-anticipated tour Down Under.

The second batch of the squad is scheduled to leave later tonight at 9 PM. The tour will feature three One-Day Internationals followed by a five-match T20I series, setting the stage for an exciting contest between two of the world’s top cricketing nations.

The first group also includes the support staff and several senior players, while the remaining members will join them ahead of the team’s first warm-up session in Australia. The players are expected to undergo a brief acclimatisation period before the limited-overs series begins on October 19.

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With India aiming to maintain their impressive overseas form, the tour is seen as a crucial test of both character and depth. Fans are eagerly awaiting the action as young skipper Shubman Gill leads the side, looking to set the tone for the series.

The three ODIs will also mark the much-awaited return of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to international action after a significant break.

Cricket enthusiasts are thrilled to see the senior duo back on the field, even as Gill captains the team in their presence — a fascinating dynamic that adds an extra layer of intrigue to this high-profile tour.

India’s white-ball tour of Australia begins with the ODI opener on October 19 at Perth Stadium, followed by matches at Adelaide Oval and the Sydney Cricket Ground on October 23 and 25, respectively. A five-match T20I series will follow, starting October 29.

The last time India toured Australia for a bilateral ODI series was in 2020–21, when they lost 2–1 but bounced back to win the T20I series by the same margin.

(IANS)