India A vs Australia A: Ruturaj and Co. eye first-team spots ahead of ODI World Cup 2027

India A skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad will be among those looking to impress. The Maharashtra batter featured in all three ODIs against the West Indies, in T20I captain Shreyas Iyer’s absence. | Photo Credit: PTI

In 367 days, India will step onto the park for its 2027 ODI World Cup opener against Australia in Cape Town, South Africa.

Meanwhile, the ‘A’ sides of both nations will contest a three-match one-day series starting at the Cricket Association of Pondicherry Stadium in Puducherry on Tuesday, with both sets of players hoping to book a ticket to the plateaus of southern Africa next year.

The countdown to the global tournament will seem to be ticking faster for these players, as opportunities to stake a claim for selection diminish with each passing day. Both India and Australia have fairly settled squads in the 50-over format, leaving only a few spots up for grabs.

The India A squad for the one-dayers wears a similar look to the one that participated in a tri-series involving Afghanistan and Sri Lanka in June. Among those missing are Tilak Varma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who will be part of the T20I side taking on the West Indies.

Anticipation for the three games against Australia A soared with Hardik Pandya’s inclusion in the squad. The Baroda all-rounder has not played competitive cricket since the 2026 IPL. The series was a critical step to gauge his fitness ahead of the New Zealand tour later this month. But a reported shin injury has ruled him out.

Mumbai’s Suryansh Shedge has been named his replacement. Punjab’s Naman Dhir will also skip the contests, after being picked Washington Sundar’s replacement for the West Indies T20Is. Jharkhand’s Anukul Roy has been added in his place.

India A skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad will be among those looking to impress. The Maharashtra batter featured in all three ODIs against the West Indies, in T20I captain Shreyas Iyer’s absence. He will be looking to nail down a spot as one of the reserve batters in India’s ODI squad for the foreseeable future. Keen eyes will also be cast on pacer Yash Thakur, who has been capped four times in the shortest format. He could find a place in future 50-over squads if Prasidh Krishna remains sidelined with injury.

“There is a lot of flexibility in this squad. All these players are multi-dimensional and can fit into any role,” said India A coach L. Balaji.

“India A is a direct pathway toward the international stage—you saw Anshul Kamboj getting an immediate opportunity. BCCI has been phenomenal in scheduling these opportunities for youngsters,” he added.

Only six players remain from the Australia A side that lost the multi-day leg 0-1 a few days ago. A fresh set of pacers, including the uncapped Mahli Beardman, will have the chance to improve their stocks ahead of a World Cup year. With Marnus Labuschagne being overlooked for the white-ball series against South Africa and Zimbabwe, there could also be an opening for a middle-order batter or an all-rounder to get a sustained run in the one-day format.

The first match of the one-day series will be a day-night contest, starting at 2 p.m. IST.