India squad for Australia Test series in 2017: Where are they now?

Whenever India and Australia have taken center stage for the marquee four-match Test series, one has witnessed some exhilarating action on the cricket field. Fans shall expect no less when the heavyweight nations collide to win the Border Gavaskar Trophy. The last time India hosted Australia for the iconic Test series was back in 2017 and the Men in Blue grabbed the bragging rights, clinching the series 2-1. It has been over five years ever since the triumph at home and the heroes of the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2017 have gone in different directions. Many are still associated with the national side while some aren’t. 1. Virat Kohli (c) Virat Kohli was the captain of the side when the last time Australia toured India. He showed great leadership skills and helped India clinch the series. However, he was quite dismal with the bat and could only score 46 runs in three games at an average of 9.20. Kohli went on lead to the side till January 2022 in the longest format of the game and became India’s most successful captain, with 40 wins in 68 Tests. This includes India’s historic series win against Australia on the latter’s turf in the 2018-19 tour. Though Kohli presently is not the leader of the group, he is still the lynchpin of the batting line-up. He has featured in 104 Tests and plundered 8119 runs at an average of 48.90. When India clash against Pat Cummins & Co. in February, the onus will be on the veteran batter to deliver the goods with the bat. 2. KL Rahul KL Rahul was in a pristine touch in the 2017 Border Gavaskar Trophy. The Bangalore-born put up an exhibition of his elegant stroke play and amassed 393 runs in four games at an average of 65.50. His exploits with the bat were instrumental in India defeating Australia. Rahul’s stocks in the international arena have grown leaps and bounds since then and the flamboyant batter has become an integral part of the Indian team across formats. He has also been entrusted to lead the side in three Tests, seven ODIs, and a T20I. Presently, Rahul is India’s designated vice-captain in the longest format of the game and will feature in the upcoming Test series against Australia. However, the ace batter was far from his best in India’s last Test assignment, which was against Bangladesh, and could score only 57 runs in two Tests. He would be eager to redeem himself and put up a show in the upcoming Border Gavaskar Trophy. 3. Murali Vijay Murali Vijay was the team’s first-choice opening batter when India clashed against the Aussies for a four-match Test series in 2017. However, the Chennai-born did not fare well in the series and could score only 113 runs in three games at an average of 22.60. Post a poor outing against Australia, Vijay struck two centuries in the Test series against Sri Lanka later in the year 2017 and vindicated himself. However, he was quite mediocre in the following year, scoring 282 runs in eight Tests, and due to this, he was dropped from the Test side. Vijay last appeared for Men in Blue in December 2018. He played a total of 61 Tests and scored 3982 runs at an average of 38.28. The 38-year-old is still an active cricketer and plays in the Indian domestic circuit. 4. Cheteshwar Pujara Cheteshwar Pujara was quite phenomenal in the Test series against Australia in 2017 and piled on runs for fun. He notched up 405 runs in four games at an average of 57.85. It has been over five years since then and the ace batter is still an integral part of the Indian Test team. There was a slight dip in Pujara’s stocks in the international arena as he was dropped from the Test side after the 2021-22 South Africa tour. However, he made a storming comeback to the team, courtesy of his stellar showings in the County Championship Division Two 2022. He featured in eight games for Sussex and piled on 1094 runs at a stunning average of 109.40. Pujara is the rock of the Indian batting line-up and will look to score big in the upcoming Border Gavaskar Trophy. He has been in a rich vein of form of late and scored 222 runs in two matches in the Test series against Bangladesh. He would look to replicate the same against Cummins & Co. 5. Ajinkya Rahane Ajinkya Rahane was an integral part of the Indian Test team the last time Australia toured India. But he was not able to perform as per his standards and scored a mere 198 runs in four games. However, the ace batter showed his captaincy credentials when Kohli was ruled out of the fourth Test due to a shoulder injury and guided the Men in Blue to victory. Rahane was an important member of the Test side in the years to come. However, the form of the Mumbai-born dipped significantly in 2021 and he could score only 479 runs in 13 matches. Following the horrid performances, he was sidelined from the team after the 2021-22 South Africa tour. Rahane has failed to make a comeback to the national side ever since. He is currently leading Mumbai in the 2022-23 season of the Ranji Trophy. He would look to force his way into the Indian Test set-up with magnificent showings in the domestic arena. 6. Karun Nair Karun Nair was included in India’s squad for the 2017 Border Gavaskar Trophy courtesy of his sensational showings in the Test series against England in the previous year, which saw him hit a blistering triple ton. However, he was not quite impressive against the Aussies and could manage just 54 runs in three matches. The final match of the Test series against Australia in Dharamsala turned about to be the last time Karun donned the India jersey. Though the ace batter was in the national squad for the Test series against Afghanistan and also against England in 2018, he failed to break into the playing XI. Karun represented India in six Tests and scored 374 runs at an average of 62.33. He also featured in two ODIs and scored 46 runs. The 31-year-old is still an active cricketer and plays in domestic tournaments and the Indian Premier League. His latest competitive game was in the Maharaja T20 Trophy 2022 in August last year. 7. Abhinav Mukund Abhinav Mukund was included in the squad for the four-match Test series against Australia as a backup opener. As Vijay was ruled out of the second test due to a left shoulder injury, Mukund was drafted into the starting XI. However, he failed to make the opportunity count and registered scores of 0 and 16 in the first and second innings respectively. With Vijay back to full fitness for the following games of the series, Mukund was sidelined from the playing XI. The Tamil Nadu-born represented India only once post the 2017 edition of the Border Gavaskar Trophy. Overall, he featured in seven Tests and could only score 320 runs at an average of 22.85. Though Mukund failed to shine in the international arena, he continued scoring truckloads of runs in the domestic circuit. The southpaw played 145 first-class games and plundered 10258 runs at an average of 47.93. He has also been a part of the commentary panel during some editions of the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL). 8. Wriddhiman Saha (wk) Wriddhiman Saha was India’s premier wicketkeeper-batter in the marquee Test series against the Aussies in 2017. He did a great job behind the stumps but was not quite consistent with the bat. Barring a superb century in the third Test in Ranchi, the Shaktigarh-born failed to have any substantial score to his name. Saha continued being a regular feature in the Indian Test team post the Border Gavaskar Trophy. However, Pant’s exponential rise in the longest format of the game sidelined him from the national side. The wicketkeeper-batter last donned the India jersey in December 2021. The 38-year-old played 40 Tests and scored 1353 runs at an average of 29.41. Saha is still a prominent figure in the domestic arena and is currently featuring in the 2022-23 season of the Ranji Trophy where he is representing Tripura. Further, he is an important member of the IPL-franchise Gujarat Titans. 9. Hardik Pandya Hardik Pandya was fairly new to the international arena during the 2017 Border Gavaskar Trophy. He was picked for the first two Tests of the series to add depth to the side. However, with the tracks favouring spin, the team management did not feel the need to include a seam-bowling all-rounder in the playing XI and thus, Hardik did not get a game. In the following years, Hardik's stature in world cricket rose meteorically and he has become one of the finest all-rounders in the white-ball circuit. The 29-year-old has smashed 1518 runs in 71 ODIs and bagged 68 scalps in those outings. In the T20Is, he has hammered 1205 runs in 84 matches and picked up 64 wickets at an economy of 8.22. Besides Hardik’s all-round exploits, he has shown his leadership credentials in Indian Premier League and the international circuit. He has been entrusted to lead the side in the T20Is whenever India’s incumbent skipper Rohit Sharma has been unavailable and the ace all-rounder has played the role to perfection. With Hardik at the helm, India is yet to lose a T20I series. 10. Ravichandran Ashwin Ravichandran Ashwin bamboozled Australian batters with his variations in the 2017 edition of the Border Gavaskar Trophy and wreaked havoc with the ball. He featured in four matches and bagged 21 wickets at an average of 27.38. It includes a sensational six-wicket haul in the second innings of the second Test match. Over five years have passed since the Test series against Australia but Ashwin has not stopped weaving his magic with the ball. In total, he has picked up a staggering tally of 449 scalps in just 88 games for India in the longest format. Also, he has been a vital contributor with the bat and scored 3043 runs in those outings. When India battles Cummins & Co. in February, Ashwin will be Rohit’s go-to man with the ball. Also, he will be counted upon to play handy knocks with the bat slotting in at lower down the order. The spin maestro will look to bring his A-game into play in the coming Test assignment. 11. Ravindra Jadeja Ravindra Jadeja was India’s wrecker-in-chief in the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2017. He strangled batters with his consistent line and lengths and took 25 wickets in four games at an average of 18.56. Also, the ace all-rounder contributed 127 runs with the bat. He was adjudged the Player of the Series for his spectacular showings. In the subsequent years, Jadeja carried on the good work with the ball. And most importantly, his batting credentials improved leaps and bounds and he emerged as a run-bank for the Men in Blue down the order. In 60 Tests the southpaw has played thus far, he has bagged 242 scalps and scored 2523 runs at an average of 36.56. Since August 2022, Jadeja was sidelined from the India team due to a knee injury but he is set to make his international comeback in the 2023 edition of the Border Gavaskar Trophy. The southpaw brings balance to the side due to his all-round prowess and his form will be crucial to India’s chances in the forthcoming Test series. 12. Jayant Yadav Having made his international debut in October 2016, Jayant Yadav was at a nascent stage of his international career when he was included in the national squad for the four-match series against Australia. However, he got only a single opportunity in the series where he took two wickets. With Ashwin and Jadeja faring well, Jayant was not able to break into the playing XI on most occasions in the years to follow. Also, with Axar Patel doing exceedingly well for the Men in Blue in the longest format of the game, the off-spinner was pushed back further in the pecking order and was eventually sidelined from India’s Test squad. Jayant last donned the national colours in March 2022. He has featured in six Tests and bagged 16 scalps. Also, he contributed 248 runs at an average of 31.00. With Kuldeep’s stocks also rising, the chances of the Delhi-born making a comeback to India’s test set-up appears grim. He is still a bankable name in the Indian domestic circuit. Further, the 33-year-old is currently associated with defending champions Gujarat Titans in the IPL. 13. Umesh Yadav Umesh Yadav was quite outstanding in the 2017 Border Gavaskar Trophy. The Nagpur-born stemmed the flow of runs and provided timely breakthroughs to the side. On spin-friendly surfaces which offered less assistance, he put up a bowling masterclass and bagged 17 scalps in four matches at an average of 23.41. Umesh, who made his international debut in 2010, is still part of the Indian Test set-up and will feature in the upcoming Test series against Australia. He has been a proven performer for the Men in Blue in the longest format and bagged 165 wickets in 54 matches at an average of 30.20. The right-arm fast bowler has been bowling in a good rhythm of late and displayed his class in the Test series against Bangladesh, bagging seven wickets in two games. He would look to carry on the good work and deliver the goods against Cummins & Co. 14. Kuldeep Yadav Border Gavaskar Trophy 2017 was a special series for Kuldeep Yadav as it was the first time the left-arm wrist spinner donned the national colours. The Kanpur-born made his international debut in the final game of the Test series in Dharamsala and he took four wickets in the match. After the Test series against Australia, Kuldeep made his debut in ODIs and T20Is as well and courtesy of consistent performances, he became a vital cog in India's white-ball set-up. However post 2019, his stocks suffered a significant dip and he was dropped from the side across formats. Kuldeep made a comeback to the national side, courtesy of stellar showings in IPL 2022 which saw him take 21 wickets in 14 games. Since his international return, he has been quite phenomenal with the ball for the Men in Blue across formats. In the recently culminated Test series against Bangladesh, the ace spinner took eight wickets in the first match to help India take the series lead. He is part of the upcoming Test series against Australia and would be itching to set the stage ablaze with his bowling displays. 15. Ishant Sharma Ishant Sharma was the mainstay of the Indian pace attack when Australia toured India for the 2017 Border Gavaskar Trophy. However, the veteran seamer was nowhere close to his best in the Test series and managed to take just three wickets in as many games at an average of 69.66. Ishant remained a regular feature in the Indian Test team in the years to follow. However, the year 2021 saw a dip in his form and he could take just 14 scalps in eight matches for the side. Due to his middling performances, the veteran pacer was sidelined from the team. The 34-year-old, who made his international debut in 2007, last played for India in November 2021. Post Ishant’s exit from the national team, he has continued featuring in domestic tournaments. The ace pacer will also be seen in action in IPL 2023, where he will represent Delhi Capitals. 16. Bhuvneshwar Kumar Bhuvneshwar Kumar was also part of India’s squad which faced Australia in 2017. However, Ishant and Umesh were India’s first-choice pacers and the ace pacer could get only one opportunity. The Meerut-born could manage just two wickets In the lone Test he played in the series. Post the Border Gavaskar Trophy, Bhuvneshwar did not have a long Test career and played only three matches. However, he remained the key figure of India’s white-ball set-up in the years to come. The ace pacer donned the blue jersey in the 2019 World Cup and also in the T20 World Cups in the years 2021 and 2022. Bhuvneshwar was last seen in action in the T20I series against New Zealand in November 2022. He has not been included in India’s T20I assignments post that. With the ace pacer at the twilight of his career, it appears that the team management has moved past him. 17. Mohammed Shami Mohammed Shami was not part of India’s squad for the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2017 which was announced at the start of the series due to a knee injury. However, after having recovered from the same, he was drafted into the side for the final game of the four-match Test series. However, the right-arm pacer failed to break into the playing XI. Shami has been the backbone of the Indian pace attack in the years to follow. Though presently the ace pacer is not a regular feature in India’s T20 side, he is still one of the pillars of the bowling unit in ODIs and the longest format of the game. The 32-year-old will feature in the upcoming Test series against Australia. With Jasprit Bumrah ruled out of at least the first two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023, the onus will be on Shami to lead India’s pace attack. The veteran seamer would look to put his best foot forward against Cummins & Co and provide the Men in Blue with timely breakthroughs. 18. Shreyas Iyer With uncertainties over Kohli's fitness ahead of the fourth Test, Shreyas Iyer, who was yet to make his international debut, was roped into the side as a cover for the then-Indian skipper. Though Kohli did not play the Dharamsala Test, the team management was not inclined towards giving Iyer a go and fielded an extra spinner in Kuldeep Yadav at his place. Iyer went on make his ODI and T20I debut later in the year 2017 but he had to wait till November 2021 to play his first international match in the longest format. He has risen through the ranks and has now become a regular feature in the Indian team in ODIs and Tests. The ace batter has been in a rich vein of form of late. When India clashed against Bangladesh in a two-match Test series, he smashed 202 runs in three innings. Iyer would be eager to take the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2023 by storm with his batting displays.

India squad for Australia Test series in 2017: Where are they now?

The last time India hosted Australia for the iconic four-match Test series was back in 2017 and the Men in Blue grabbed the bragging rights, clinching the series 2-1.

5. Ajinkya Rahane