R Ashwin is playing his third ODI in six years after being picked in the India XI for the first game against Australia on Friday (September 22), to give an indication that he could be in line for a call-up to the World Cup squad.

Ashwin had not been picked in the original World Cup team and was initially not in the frame for selection, having played just two games in the last six years. However, an injury to Axar Patel in the Asia Cup, which saw him miss the final, brought Ashwin back into contention after chief selector Ajit Agarkar had expressed his intentions of having an off-spinner in the squad for the World Cup.

Following Patel’s injury, off-spinner Washington Sundar was picked for the Asia Cup final over Ashwin, but the former was not selected for the first Australia ODI. Ashwin edged ahead instead and has an opportunity to replace Patel in the World Cup with reports suggesting he could play all three games in the series.

The other notable decision was the decision to play Ruturaj Gaikwad at the top of the order alongside Shubman Gill, with Rohit Sharma rested. Gaikwad is not in the World Cup squad and will lead India in the Asian Games instead. Ishan Kishan, otherwise an opener and who is in the World Cup squad, has been picked at No.5, being seen as a possible candidate for the role after his heroics against Pakistan.

With question marks over Shreyas Iyer’s fitness, India had the option of opening with Ishan Kishan, with Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma in the middle-order. Yadav is in the World Cup squad and Varma is likely to make the XV if Iyer is not fit. However, Varma has played only one ODI so far.

Iyer, however, is playing the ODI at Mohali, but suffered back spasms during the Asia Cup, a game after returning from a long layoff due to back injury.

India XI for the first Australia ODI: Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (c & wk), Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami