After winning the 5-match ODI series 4-1, Team India would look to keep their good form going in the upcoming 3-match T20I series, which is scheduled to begin from 7th October 2017 in Ranchi.
The Indian selectors announced a 15-member squad for the series that includes a few surprising names.
India’s veteran fast bowler Ashish Nehra has once again made a comeback and he will be leading the attack in all the three T20Is against Australia. Nehra is coming back from an injury and all eyes will be on him because now he only plays as a T20 specialist for India.
Other than Nehra, Shikhar Dhawan, who requested some time away from the game to be with his ailing wife, is making a comeback and now it will be interesting to see who opens the innings for India alongside Rohit Sharma in the T20I series– KL Rahul or Shikhar Dhawan?
Ajinkya Rahane will consider himself slightly unlikely to miss out, having had a good ODI series. Rahane has been a stand in opener for India but, now, the selectors are going with KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan in T20Is, it seems.
Dinesh Karthik, who has spend most of his career under MS Dhoni’s shadow, has been included in the squad. And Rishabh Pant, who many believe is the best candidate to replace Dhoni in the future, has once again been ignored.
Interestingly, there is no mention of Ravindra Jadeja as the selectors have decided to go with three young spinners– Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav– in T20is as well.
India’s squad to face Australia in the 3-match T20I seres: Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma (vc), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Manush Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, MS Dhoni (wk), Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jaspirt Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ashish Nehra, Axar Patel.
TEAM: Kohli (Capt),Rohit (VC), Shikhar, Rahul, Pandey, Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, MSD(wk), Hardik, Kuldeep, Chahal, Bumrah, Bhuvi, Nehra, Axar. https://t.co/uoeu1UzDny
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 1, 2017
