India-A and Australia-A begin three-match ODI series in Pondicherry with World Cup countdown under a year

India-A and Australia-A will begin a three-match one-day series at the Cricket Association of Pondicherry Stadium on Tuesday, with 366 days remaining until India’s 2027 ODI World Cup opener against Australia in Cape Town, South Africa.

The series offers fringe international players an opportunity to press their claims as the window for selection narrows ahead of next year’s global tournament; both countries enter the one-day matches with largely settled 50-over squads, leaving only a handful of places available. India-A’s one-day selection closely resembles the side that featured in a tri-series involving Afghanistan and Sri Lanka in June, and the matches in Puducherry form part of the immediate lead-up to other international commitments.

India-A coach L. Balaji emphasised the squad’s versatility and the pathway this series provides to the senior team. “There is a lot of flexibility in this squad. All these players are multi-dimensional and can fit into any role,” said India-A coach L. Balaji. “India-A is a direct pathway toward the international stage — you saw Anshul Kamboj getting an immediate opportunity. BCCI has been phenomenal in scheduling these opportunities for youngsters,” he added.

Only six players remain from the Australia-A side that lost the multi-day leg 0-1 a few days ago, leaving room for a different balance in the one-day squad. A fresh set of pacers, including the uncapped Mahli Beardman, has been selected and will have the chance to improve their stocks ahead of a World Cup year. The first match of the one-day series will be a day-night contest, starting at 2 p.m.

The India-A selection had included all-rounder Hardik Pandya among its additions, with the series identified as a critical step to gauge his fitness ahead of the New Zealand tour later this month. A reported shin injury has ruled Hardik Pandya out of the one-day series and Mumbai’s Suryansh Shedge has been named as his replacement. Jharkhand’s Anukul Roy has been added to the one-day squad in place of Naman Dhir, who has been added to the squad for the West Indies T20Is.

The three-match one-day series in Pondicherry begins on Tuesday at the Cricket Association of Pondicherry Stadium, with the opening fixture scheduled as a day-night contest starting at 2 p.m., providing immediate match practice and selection evidence for players pushing for international recall.