In a strategic move, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has chosen to rest the in-form opener, Shubman Gill, and the versatile all-rounder, Shardul Thakur, for the upcoming third ODI against Australia in Rajkot.

Shubman Gill, the leading run-scorer in the ongoing three-match series with an impressive 178 runs in just two matches, will rue missing out on the chance to potentially dethrone Pakistan’s Babar Azam from the top spot in the ICC ODI rankings. Prior to the series, Gill, with 814 rating points compared to Babar Azam’s 857, needed 200 runs to become the No. 1 ODI batter globally ahead of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. However, he will conclude the series just 22 runs shy of this milestone. It’s worth noting that Suryakumar Yadav already holds the top position in T20I cricket.

“These experienced players are expected to make a significant impact in the third and final ODI against Australia.”

According to reports from the Indian Express, Shubman Gill and Shardul Thakur will not travel to Rajkot for the third ODI. Instead, they will join the team in Guwahati, where India is set to kick off its Cricket World Cup 2023 journey with a warm-up match against England on Saturday.

Shubman Gill has been in exceptional form in 2023, with two centuries against New Zealand and one each against Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Australia, along with a T20I century. He is currently the leading run-scorer in ODIs this year, amassing 1,230 runs in 20 innings at an impressive average of 72.35 and a strike rate of 105.03.