The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series against England. The series, which is scheduled to begin on January 22 in Kolkata, will see Sanju Samson return to the T20I setup while veteran pacer Mohammed Shami will make a much-awaited return.
Samson in, pants left behind
Sanju Samson was named first choice keeper-batsman, replacing Rishabh Pant, who was rested. Samson’s recent performances in T20Is have earned him the spot, and he is expected to play a key role at the top of the order.
Suryakumar Yadav will continue to captain the team. His aggressive batting style fits perfectly with India’s attacking philosophy in recent times. Axar Patel has been handed vice-captaincy duties, a move that reflects his growing stature within the team.
With senior pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj missing due to injuries, the return of Mohammed Shami comes as a significant boost to the bowling department. Shami last played for India in the 2023 ICC World Cup final and has since been out of action due to injury.
New faces and key inclusions
The team introduces some new faces. Dhruv Jurel, a promising keeper-batsman, has been included as a second holding option behind Samson. Nitish Kumar Reddy was also rewarded with a call-up after his outstanding performances in domestic cricket and on the tour of Australia.
Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh will lead the pace attack, while spin options include Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav. Riyan Parag, who is recovering from an injury, was not selected for selection.
The return of Mohammed Shami is one of the main talking points during the team announcement. The experienced point guard has been away from the international scene for 14 months and will be eager to make an impact.
Reigning T20 World Cup champions India have been dominating the bilateral T20I series since their triumph in Barbados. The team hasn’t lost a series since then, and they will look to continue that streak against England.
Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill were rested. However, Abhishek Sharma was able to keep his place intact. Rinku Singh continues to strengthen the middle order. However, Ruturaj Gaikwad continues to be ignored by the selectors despite a superb domestic season.
Indian squad for T20I series against England: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel (vc), Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammad Shami, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel (week).
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