Rishabh Pant omitted from India's white-ball squads for Australia tour, Varun Chakravarthy included for T20Is

Wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant has been omitted from India's ODI and T20I squads for the upcoming tour of Australia. Rohit Sharma, India's white-ball vice-captain, who is currently nursing a hamstring injury in the IPL, is also not part of any of the squads.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu and Kolkata Knight Riders mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy earned his maiden national call-up on the back of his stellar performances in the ongoing IPL. Varun is the only player with a five-wicket haul so far this season and is also the highest wicket-taker for the Knight Riders with 12 strikes at an economy rate of 7.05.

India's premier allrounder Hardik Pandya is set to play his first limited-overs international since September 2019. After undergoing a back surgery, Pandya returned to action in the IPL though he hasn't bowled yet this season. According to Zaheer Khan, the Mumbai Indians director of cricket operations, Pandya was "very keen" to bowl, but the team management has adopted a cautious approach and is using him as a specialist batsman.

In the absence of Sharma, KL Rahul, who is captaining the Kings XI Punjab, has been named Virat Kohli's deputy in both the white-ball squads. Rahul is the only wicketkeeper in the ODI squad while India have another wicketkeeping option in Sanju Samson for the T20Is.

Varun, 29, has played only 11 T20s before Monday. However, he is supposed to have seven variations in his repertoire, and his victims in this IPL include David Warner, MS Dhoni, Pant, and Shreyas Iyer. He was also the second-highest wicket-taker in the 2018-19 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy, with 22 scalps in nine matches at an economy rate of 4.23.

Left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav has made it to the Test and ODI squads, but isn't part of the T20I group. Ravindra Jadeja, who has been the Chennai Super Kings' finisher with the bat this season but has struggled with the ball, was picked in both the white-ball squads over Axar Patel. Patel's economy rate of 5.78 is the third-best among bowlers who have bowled at least 25 overs this IPL. With this qualification, only Rashid Khan and Washington Sundar, who features in the T20I squad, have better economy rates.

Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami will lead the seam attacks in both ODIs and T20Is. Fast bowler Navdeep Saini, who had suffered a split webbing in his bowling hand in the fixture against the Super Kings on Sunday, has been named in both squads as well. Deepak Chahar is the fourth seamer in the T20I squad, with Shardul Thakur taking that spot in the ODI squad.

The BCCI release also said four additional bowlers - Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Kartik Tyagi, Ishan Porel and T Natarajan - will travel with the Indian contingent.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who is currently nursing a thigh injury, will have to wait further for his international comeback. Kumar, who hasn't played international cricket since December 2019, was set to make the comeback in the home ODI series against South Africa earlier this year before the coronavirus pandemic struck and forced that series to be called off.

Mayank Agarwal, who found a place in both sides, could be the back-up opener behind Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan. Shubman Gill, who wasn't selected in the T20I squad, could be another opening option for the ODIs.

ODI squad: Virat Kohli (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul (vice-capt, wk), Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Hardik Pandya, Mayank Agarwal, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Navdeep Saini, Shardul Thakur

T20I squad: Virat Kohli (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Mayank Agarwal, KL Rahul (vice-capt, wk), Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Hardik Pandya, Sanju Samson (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Navdeep Saini, Deepak Chahar, Varun Chakravarthy