India have included Hardik Pandya in their squad for the five-match home T20I series against South Africa.
India name T20I squad for home series against South Africa
India have announced a 15-member squad for their upcoming five-match T20I series against South Africa. Suryakumar Yadav will lead the side, but vice-captain Shubman Gill’s inclusion is subject to a fitness clearance. A neck injury had ruled Gill, India’s Test and ODI captain, out of most of the first Test, the entire second Test, and the ODI series. The selectors did not name a replacement for Gill.
A notable inclusion is Pandya, who had been out of action since he picked up an injury during the Asia Cup. All eyes were on him when he took the field for Baroda against Punjab in a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match on December 3. Opening bowling, he had 1-52 from four overs as Punjab amassed 222-8. Then, coming out at 92-2 in the eighth over, he biffed his way to a 42-ball 77 with seven fours and four sixes to seal a win.
Nitish Kumar Reddy, who had replaced the injured Pandya on the Australia tour, has been left out upon Pandya’s return. The other omission is of Rinku Singh: the current squad has a member fewer than the squad that visited Australia.
The five T20Is will be played at Cuttack (December 9), Mullanpur (December 11), Dharamshala (December 14), Lucknow (December 17), and Ahmedabad (December 19).
India squad for T20I series against South Africa
Batters
Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill (vc – subject to fitness clearance)
All-rounders
Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar
Wicketkeepers
Jitesh Sharma, Sanju Samson
Fast bowlers
Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana
Spinners
Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav
