After registering a terrific victory against Sri Lanka in the recently concluded 3-game T20I series, team India is all set to meet Australia for a 3-ODI series and then tour to New Zealand. India will be playing 5 T20Is, 3 ODIs and 2 Tests in and against New Zealand.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Sunday announced India’s squad for T20I of the upcoming New Zealand tour. The officials haven’t said anything about the ODIs and Tests squad yet. As per the announcement, Rohit Sharma who was rested for the Sri Lanka series is back to the squad. Further, Mohammad Shami has also been recalled to the squad while Sanju Samson has been dropped for the tour.
The tour will begin from January 24 with a 5-game T20Is followed by 3 ODIs and then 2 Tests.
“There are no surprises in the Indian T20 squad with Rohit as usual coming back in place of Sanju, who is already in New Zealand with the A team. All the other players picked themselves,” a BCCI official was quoted saying on conditions of anonymity.
Additionally, the announcement also talked about Vijay Shankar’s inclusion in place of Hardik Pandya in India A squad for New Zealand shadow tour following Pandya’s slow recovery.
“Hardik Pandya was boarding the flight to New Zealand for A team without playing a Ranji match. If we go by media reports, his trainer has said that there are workload issues with regards to his bowling. That itself implies that he is not fit. I think the BCCI will instruct Hardik to first play Ranji Trophy for Baroda and prove his fitness,” another senior board source was seen saying.
India T20I Squad for New Zealand Tour
Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma (vice-captain), KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (wk), Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Manish Pandey, Shivam Dube, Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, Navdeep Saini, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Shami.
