Opener Virender Sehwag is set to return, while off-colour all-rounder Yusuf Pathan is likely to be axed when the selectors pick the Indian squad for the first two one-dayers against Australia in Chennai on Wednesday.
Sehwag has been out of international cricket owing to a shoulder injury that required surgery and the opener missed both the Twenty20 World Cup in England and Champions Trophy in South Africa.
The right-hander, however, is set to make a comeback to the national team tomorrow when Krishnamachari Srikkanth and his colleagues in the Senior Selection Committee select the team for the first two of the seven ODIs against Australia.
Baroda all-rounder Yusuf Pathan, meanwhile, is almost certain to be dropped, especially with Yuvraj Singh likely to return from a finger injury that kept him out of the Champions Trophy.
The BCCI is yet to receive the details of his fitness test at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore but subject to his clearing the procedure, Yuvraj will be back to the squad, according to sources.
The selectors will also debate on whether to persist with Rahul Dravid, who made a come back to the 50-overs format after a two-year hibernation.
According to sources, selectors may drop Ishant Sharma as well, bringing in Uttar Pradesh pacer Sudeep Tyagi in his place.
Another pacer Zaheer Khan, who is recovering from a shoulder surgery, has not proved himself in match situation and hence is said to have been ruled out of contention.
Apart from Tyagi, Abhishek Nayar is also expected to get the selectors' nod for the ODIs in Vadodara (Oct 25) and Nagpur (Oct 28).
The selection committee would, in all probability, would suggest rotating the bowlers.
"We always go by the observations of the core group of coaches for the national team and we believe we have young, talented players in our three-graded contracted system," said a selector.
"We also believe that we need to rotate players in the bowling department. Accordingly, the seniors are likely to retain their spots, while the second spinner and the medium pacers in the team are to be rotated for the seven matches," he added.
In the spin department, Harbhajan Singh would remain the frontline tweaker, while Amit Mishra and Pragyan Ojha would play in turns in the seven-match series.
The Australians commence their campaign on October 25 at Vadodara and play the seventh and final tie at Mumbai on November 11. PTI
