The India Cricket Team has a plethora of choices to make for their squad announcement for the IND vs ENG series. As the buildup for the ICC Champions Trophy grows, the series against the Three Lions is equally important as it will help India dust off any rust in their white ball format. While the selectors are reportedly to sit and discuss the team combination on 11th Jan, it can be expected that the squad announcement will take place the next day.
Coming to the team combination, there can be quite a few changes in the setup. It is believed that the players who took part in the T20I series against South Africa will be present. There are also doubts about the availability of some players who took part in the Border Gavaskar Trophy.
Riyan Parag, Shivam Dube to Return
The stage is set for Riyan Parag and Shivam Dube to make a comeback into the shortest format of the game. Riyan Parag hogged the limelight after his impressive outings in IPL 2024. He was immediately fast-tracked to the Indian Team. But then he went on to suffer a shoulder injury.
His last outing was in the T20I series against Bangladesh. Following this he underwent recovery at the NCA. Thus, as a result, he went on to miss the T20I series against South Africa. But now, Parag has recovered well and is now eager to showcase his mark in the shortest format of the game against England at home.
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Things are different for Shivam Dube. After the ODI series against Sri Lanka, the CSK all-rounder has actively taken part in domestic cricket. He has performed decently and is now ready to light the stage on fire against the Three Lions. While it is highly unlikely that the duo will make it to the ICC Champions Trophy squad, but there lies a slight hint of hope if they can impress the selectors in the upcoming series.
Riyan Parag and Shivam Dube’s Stats in T20Is
| Player | Mat | Runs | HS | Avg | SR | 100s | 50s | 4s | 6s |
| Shivam Dube | 33 | 448 | 63* | 29.86 | 134.93 | 0 | 3 | 27 | 24 |
| Riyan Parag | 9 | 106 | 34 | 17.66 | 151.42 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 9 |
The return of both Riyan Parag and Shivam Dube is important in the grand scheme of things. Both the players have missed games after nursing injuries. And thus their return to the team is of extreme importance. It not only adds squad depth but also both the players are almost first-team regulars.
With no Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja in the shortest format of the game, both Riyab Parag and Shivam Dube needs this return at all costs. The duo are likely to get their chances in the T20Is and if they perform exceptionally, it might just as well result in a place in Champions Troiphy – Who knows?
