Ajit Agarkar snubs Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, names star India spinner will be trump card for India in World Cup 2023

Team India have announced their squad for the upcoming ODI series against Australia. The Men in Blue side recently won the Asia Cup for the 8th time. The most by any team in the continental event. They won every game, except for one against Bangladesh.

India is now preparing for the upcoming three-match series against Australia, ahead of the World Cup 2023, the Indian Cricket Board chief selector Ajit Agarkar called Kuldeep India's "trump card." He was declared as the Player of the Series for his sensational performance. The wrist-spinner picked up 9 wickets.

I have spent time with him in the IPL, he's a guy with special skillset: Ajit Agarkar

Agarkar said, "I have spent time with him in the IPL. He's a guy with special skillset. Every guy needs to be shown faith and the Indian team management has done that and the results are there. He's a trump card (for us). Most teams are finding him a challenge. All of us are excited for what lies ahead."

Kuldeep has been rested in the first two ODIs against the five-time champions. He will be joining the team in the third and final ODI on September 27. Apart from him skipper Rohit Sharma and former skipper Virat Kohli are also rested for the first two matches.

Ravichandran Ashwin makes a comeback in white-ball cricket after 2022. He has also been added to the reserve for the upcoming ODI World Cup. The veteran off-spinner will be the front-runner to replace Axar Patel if he doesn't get fit before the September 28 deadline.

Squad for the first two ODIs

KL Rahul (captain), Ravindra Jadeja (vice-captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Shardul Thakur, Washington Sundar, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.

Squad for third ODI

Rohit Sharma (captain), Hardik Pandya, (vice-captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel (subject to fitness), Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Shami, Mohammed Siraj.