Anukul Roy joins India A squad for Australia A ODIs as Naman Dhir's replacement
Synopsis
A triple call-up chain — Washington Sundar released for Ranji, Naman Dhir promoted to senior T20Is, Anukul Roy drafted into India A — reshuffles the touring squad just days before the Puducherry series opener against Australia A. Anukul's five-for in the Duleep Trophy and his Sri Lanka tri-series showing make him arguably the most in-form spinner in India A contention right now.
Key Takeaways
Anukul Roy (Jharkhand) has replaced Naman Dhir in the India A squad for the three-match unofficial ODI series against Australia A in Puducherry .
Naman Dhir was called up to the senior men's T20I team for the West Indies series as a replacement for Washington Sundar , who was released for Ranji Trophy duty.
Anukul took seven wickets and scored a top score of 39 in India A's Sri Lanka tri-series win in June .
He also claimed seven wickets including a five-for against North East Zone in the Duleep Trophy for East Zone.
Suryansh Shedge had earlier replaced the injured Hardik Pandya (right medial tibial stress syndrome) in the same squad.
The series opener is on 7 October at 2 pm IST ; subsequent matches on 9 and 11 October at 9 am IST .
Left-arm spin bowling all-rounder Anukul Roy has been drafted into the India A squad for the upcoming three-match unofficial one-day series against Australia A in Puducherry, replacing Naman Dhir, who received a call-up to the senior men's T20I team. The series gets underway at the Cricket Association Puducherry Siechem Ground on Tuesday, 7 October, with subsequent matches scheduled for 9 and 11 October.
The Chain of Call-Ups Explained
Naman Dhir was elevated to India's T20I squad for the five-match series against the West Indies as a replacement for off-spin bowling all-rounder Washington Sundar, who was released to represent Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy ahead of India's Test tour of New Zealand next month. That domino effect opened the door for Anukul Roy to step into the India A set-up.
According to sources close to the developments, Anukul was in Srinagar as a member of the Rest of India Irani Cup team before travelling to Puducherry to link up with the India A squad following Dhir's elevation.
Anukul's Recent Form and Credentials
Anukul Roy, who represents Jharkhand in domestic cricket, arrives on the back of a productive run in multi-day and multi-team formats. He was part of the India A squad that won the 50-over tri-series in Sri Lanka in June, featuring in all five games — posting a top score of 39 with the bat and claiming seven wickets across the tournament.
He then turned out for East Zone in their victorious Duleep Trophy campaign, scoring 37, 16, 0, 45 and 64 and picking up seven wickets, including a five-wicket haul against North East Zone. That string of consistent performances across formats has underlined his value as a genuine lower-order batting threat alongside his spin.
Another Replacement Already in the Squad
Anukul is not the only late addition to the India A setup. Seam-bowling all-rounder Suryansh Shedge was previously drafted in as a replacement for Hardik Pandya, who is sidelined with a right medial tibial stress syndrome.
Squad Build-Up and Key Arrivals
India A captain Ruturaj Gaikwad is set to join the camp after featuring in India's 2-1 ODI series win over the West Indies. Meanwhile, Vipraj Nigam and Yash Thakur are expected to arrive following their involvement with the Asian Games gold medal-winning team. The first match begins at 2 pm IST, with subsequent games starting at 9 am IST.
The updated India A squad reads: Ruturaj Gaikwad (captain), Priyansh Arya, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal (vice-captain), Rajat Patidar, Kumar Kushagra (wk), Nishant Sindhu, Vipraj Nigam, Arshin Kulkarni, Arshad Khan, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Gurjapneet Singh, Yash Thakur, Suryansh Shedge, and Anukul Roy.
With the first ball set to be bowled on Tuesday, all eyes will be on whether this reshuffled India A unit can hit the ground running against a competitive Australia A side.
Point of View
Dhir up, Anukul in — reveal how thin India's all-rounder cover is across simultaneous bilateral commitments. Anukul's consistent Duleep Trophy and India A numbers suggest he deserves the opportunity on merit, but the revolving-door squad build-up also raises questions about planning depth when multiple series overlap. For Australia A, a disrupted Indian camp arriving piecemeal could be a competitive advantage they will look to exploit early.
NationPress
4 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Anukul Roy drafted into India A's squad?
Anukul Roy was brought in as a replacement for Naman Dhir, who was elevated to India's senior men's T20I squad for the five-match series against the West Indies. Anukul joins from the Rest of India Irani Cup camp in Srinagar.
Why was Naman Dhir called up to the senior T20I squad?
Naman Dhir replaced Washington Sundar in India's T20I squad after Sundar was released to play Ranji Trophy for Tamil Nadu ahead of India's Test tour of New Zealand. Dhir's call-up created the vacancy in the India A squad that Anukul now fills.
When and where does the India A vs Australia A ODI series begin?
The three-match unofficial ODI series begins on 7 October at the Cricket Association Puducherry Siechem Ground at 2 pm IST. The second and third matches are scheduled for 9 and 11 October, both starting at 9 am IST.
What has been Anukul Roy's recent form in domestic cricket?
Anukul played five matches in India A's tri-series win in Sri Lanka in June, scoring a top score of 39 and taking seven wickets. He followed that with a strong Duleep Trophy campaign for East Zone, scoring 37, 16, 0, 45, and 64 with the bat and claiming seven wickets including a five-for against North East Zone.
Who else was replaced in the India A squad for the Australia A series?
Seam-bowling all-rounder Suryansh Shedge was drafted into the squad as a replacement for Hardik Pandya, who is sidelined with a right medial tibial stress syndrome.
