The BCCI announced the Indian squad for the T20I series in Ireland on June 26th and 28th which will be played in Dublin. IPL-winning captain Hardik Pandya has been named the skipper of the Indian squad and Bhuvneshwar Kumar will serve as his deputy.
Hardik Pandya recently lead Gujarat Titans to its maiden title victory in its first IPL season. He impressed everyone with his captaincy skills and as a result, has landed a leadership role for the Indian team.
India Squad
Hardik Pandya (C), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (vc), Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sanju Samson, Suryakumar Yadav, Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, R Bishnoi, Harshal Patel, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik— BCCI (@BCCI) June 15, 2022
Rahul Tripathi gets his maiden Indian call-up
Fan-favorite Maharashtra batter Rahul Tripathi has finally earned the India call-up after performing consistently in the world’s toughest league for years. Tripathi is the highest-scoring non-capped Indian cricketer in the IPL. He is a complete team man who can bat at any position. Rahul always maintains an excellent strike rate, plays selflessly, and puts the team’s needs ahead of him.
Meanwhile, Sanju Samson, whose profligacy has been well documented over the years, gets another shot at redemption, as he made a comeback for the series, having guided Rajasthan Royals to the IPL final.
Suryakumar Yadav also makes a comeback to the Indian setup after recovering from an injury he sustained during the IPL. Otherwise, the selectors have persisted with the same squad which is currently facing South Africa.
Notably, the designated wicketkeeper will be 36-year-old Dinesh Karthik if one goes by the squad list, while both Ishan Kishan and Samson can keep wickets if need be. Samson’s keeping isn’t considered up to the mark, so he could well be the third keeper in the mix.
Interestingly, VVS Laxman will serve as the head coach on tour and will be assisted by Shitanshu Kotak (batting coach), Sairaj Bahutule (bowling coach), and Munish Bali (fielding coach).
Highlights:
• Hardik Pandya to lead the Indian team against two T20I against Ireland.
• Tripathi receives maiden call-up and Suryakumar Yadav makes a return.
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