India vs Australia: 'RCB Quota,' Scoffs Twitter After Squad Is Announced For First 3 ODIs

India on Sunday recalled pacers Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav to the squad for the first three one-day internationals against Australia in the upcoming limited-over home series. Spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja continued to be rested as the selectors announced a 16-member squad for the series starting September 17. Axar Patel and Yuzvendra Chahal have been retained for their performance during the Sri Lanka tour, where India swept to an emphatic 9-0 victory in all three formats. "The team for the three ODIs against Australia has been selected in line with the rotation policy of the Board and accordingly R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja have been rested," said MSK Prasad, chairman of the senior selection committee.

Four Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) players - Virat Kohli, Yuvzendra Chahal, KL Rahul and Kedar Jadhav - are now part of the Indian limited-overs cricket set up. Some fans, disappointed with the exclusion of veteran stars Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina, linked a new term for the selection policy - 'RCB quota'.

Fans felt that players part of the Bangalore franchise held a slight edge of others because Kohli called the shots. They also drew comparisons with MS Dhoni's tenure when the Indian side had a strong Chennai Super Kings influence.

While there is evidence to back this theory, Kohli and the board has no option but to take Twitter conspiracy theories in their stride and take bold decisions in the run up to the 2019 World Cup.

Earlier CSK quota (ash jad raina) now RCB quota (chahal rahul jadhav) still No @DineshKarthik

— Boobalan Subramani (@ksboobalan27) September 10, 2017

Dhoni csk team banata tha kohli rcb team bana raha hain

— sumanta yuvi (@sumantajha7) September 10, 2017

Is this Indian Team or RCB?

— Durotan (@saiyan_speaks) September 11, 2017

RCB quota won't help you in winning series against Australia. You all are ignoring the facilities of experienced players like Raina & Yuvi.

— Aditya Kashyap (@geekyaadi) September 10, 2017

Rahul is in the team because of RCB quota.Virat-Rahul-Jadhav-Chahal

— Aanand (@akkilife) September 10, 2017

Yuvi performed okay in 3 matches....they axed him. Rahul did terrible against Lanka...still retains. RCB quota ? Sad for Yuvi...

— Ashutosh Agarwal (@iamashu0695) September 10, 2017

@BCCI @imVkohli first CSK quota and now RCB quota #bringbackyuvi

— Deep reja (@deep_reja) September 10, 2017

Chahal is RCB quota.Get Shabaz Nadeem in

— KD (@harinaaaaath) September 6, 2017

At Dhoni era CSK players had an edge over other players in selection, At the Kohli era RCB players has the same, KL, Jadhav, Yuz.!#INDvsAUS

— Romil Patel (@romilpatel96) September 10, 2017

Kohli is clearly favouring his failed RCB team mates Rahul and Jadhav over DK, Rahane and Pandey. #INDvsAUS

— Hasim (@lewdworn) September 10, 2017

Previously dhoni used to take csk players into team now Kohli taking RCB players,no difference

— Akhil Kumar (@akhil974) September 10, 2017

India and Australia will play five ODIs in all and three Twenty20 matches during the tour lasting nearly a month. The first three ODIs will be played in Chennai, Kolkata and Indore. The teams then travel to Bangalore and Nagpur for the final two games, before they take part in a three-match T20I series.

India squad:

Virat Kohli (capt), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Ajinkya Rahane, MS Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami.

(With inputs from AFP)