Shubman Gill shared a warm reunion with former captain Rohit Sharma as the Indian men’s cricket team prepared to depart for their Australia tour, where they will contest eight white-ball matches, including three ODIs and five T20Is. The emotional moment continued on the team bus, with Rohit also exchanging a heartfelt hug with batting superstar Virat Kohli, a clip of which was shared by the BCCI on social media on Wednesday.

At Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, Kohli and Rohit took time to interact with fans, signing posters and posing for photos, creating a memorable send-off for supporters who had gathered to catch a glimpse of India’s cricketing icons.

The first batch of players departing for the tour includes newly appointed ODI captain Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel, and Prasidh Krishna, among others.

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The three-match ODI series has generated significant attention, as it marks the return of Rohit and Kohli to competitive cricket since IPL 2025. Fans and analysts alike will closely monitor the duo’s form, fitness, and performance amid ongoing speculations regarding their future in India’s ODI setup.

𝙀𝙣 𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙚 𝘿𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙐𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 ✈️

Of familiar faces and special reunions as #TeamIndia depart for the Australia challenge 😍#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/ElV3OtV3Lj

— BCCI (@BCCI) October 15, 2025

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri emphasised that the senior batters’ continued hunger for runs and fitness levels will be crucial if they aim to represent India at the 2027 ODI World Cup.

“It depends how hungry you are, how fit you are, whether that passion for the game is still there. With their experience, it’ll come in very handy,” Ravi Shastri said. He added, “I would say take it one series at a time. It’s still a long way to go. Hopefully, if they have a good one here in Australia, that should keep them in a good state of mind, thinking of South Africa. If they’re not enjoying it, if the form is not good, they might pull the plug themselves.”

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The Australia tour will serve as a key indicator of Rohit and Kohli’s readiness for the upcoming international calendar and their potential role in India’s long-term ODI plans.