Fit again after a long layoff for his back injury, pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been named in India’s Twenty20 and One-Day Internationals squad by the Board of Control for Cricket in India on Monday.
India’s white-ball vice captain Rohit Sharma and Mohammed Shami have, meanwhile, been rested for the T20Is against Sri Lanka, which will be India’s first assignment in 2020.
Bumrah, who recently bowled at the India nets, is fit for competitive cricket and contrary to earlier expectations, has been picked for both the T20I series against Sri Lanka beginning on January 5 and the ODI series against a full-strength Australian side starting on January 14.
“Jasprit Bumrah is back in both the teams for Sri Lanka and Australia and we have rested Rohit Sharma and Mohammed Shami for the Sri Lanka T20s. Shikhar Dhawan also comes back and Sanju Samson will be the back-up opener in T20s,” chairman of selectors MSK Prasad was quoted as saying by PTI.
Opener Shikhar Dhawan, who had a gash on his knee which required 25 stitches, has also made a comeback to both the squads.
“Against Australia, we have all three openers available –Shikhar, Rohit and KL Rahul,” Prasad said.
Bumrah had been laid low by a stress fracture of the back but made his return to the camp during India’s net session ahead of the second ODI against the West Indies in Visakhapatnam. He is also expected to play in the Ranji Trophy with Indian team physio Nitin Patel giving him the green light to play Gujarat’s next game in Surat.
While talented opener Prithvi Shaw, back in the mix after serving an eight-month doping ban, will be going to New Zealand with India A, there is still some time before Hardik Pandya recovers from his back surgery.
“(As for) Hardik, we will have a look at him in the third week of January,” Prasad said, indicating that the all-rounder could only be available in the second half of New Zealand tour.
The tour comprising, five T20 Internationals, three ODIs and two Test matches, gets underway from January 24.
Prasad, however, was tight-lipped when asked if Mahendra Singh Dhoni would be available for selection anytime soon.
“I can’t comment on that. Mahi has to first play to be available for selection,” said Prasad.
There was also bad news for the fast-rising Deepak Chahar, who has aggravated his back injury and will be out till the start of next year’s IPL. His injury means that Navdeep Saini will continue to be in the squad. Pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar is nursing a sports hernia and Chahar is out till April, but Prasad said there is no cause of concern.
“Deepak was doing well as he played the Vijay Hazare Trophy and suddenly he aggravated his back in the second ODI in Visakhapatnam,” he said.
Asked who will be the swing bowler, Prasad said the selectors are banking on Shardul Thakur, who can swing the ball at a decent pace. He made a crucial six-ball 17 in the third ODI against the West Indies in India’s series-clinching four-wicket win on Sunday.
“We have created enough back up and we have a good talent pool of fast bowlers. We also have Khaleel (Ahmed), who is playing Ranji Trophy and Navdeep (Saini) will replace Shami in T20s,” he added.
India will take on Sri Lanka in three T20 Internationals from January 5, followed by three ODIs against Australia from January 14.
Squads:
For T20Is against Sri Lanka: Virat Kohli (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Sanju Samson, Rishabh Pant (wk), Shivam Dube, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav,Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Navdeep Saini, Jasprit Bumrah, Washington Sundar
For ODIs against Australia: Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma (vice captain), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal,Kuldeep Yadav, Navdeep Saini,Jasprit Bumrah,Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Shami
(With PTI inputs)
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