Reports: Ajinkya Rahane likely to make an ODI comeback

Soon after the three-match ODI series against Australia, Team India will fly to New Zealand to face the Kiwi side in five T20 Internationals, three ODIs and a couple of Test matches. The squad for all the three series were expected to be announced on Sunday. But only the T20I squad was picked and the selectors deferred announcing the ODI and Test squads.

However, if the reports in Mumbai Mirror are to be believed, India’s Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane’s name was discussed when it came to picking the ODI squad. One of the important members of the panel suggested for Rahane to be included in the 50-over set-up again before the decision to pick the squad was delayed.

While there is no certainty yet on Ajinkya Rahane making his ODI comeback, he could come into the frame sooner or later. He last played an ODI back in February 2018 during the South Africa tour. Rather he was batting at number four before all the permutations and combinations were tried ahead of the World Cup 2019.

ODI squad likely to be announced after Australia series

Meanwhile, the report also read that the selectors are waiting for the ODI series between India and Australia to end in order to pick the squad for New Zealand ODIs. It will be interesting to see if Ajinkya Rahane makes his comeback to the limited-overs set-up. The India-Australia series is set to be concluded on January 19.

India will play its first T20I of the five-match series on January 24. While the tussle in the shortest format concludes on February 2, the three-match ODI rubber begins on February 5. After skipping playing the Tests, Virat Kohli and Co will also fight it out in the whites against the Kiwis this time around. They will also play a three-day practice match before the two-match Test series gets underway on February 21.

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