The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Selection Committee, headed by Ajit Agarkar, has released the squad for the five-match T20I series against England. No, the ICC Champions Trophy squad is yet to be announced but we have the Suryakumar Yadav-led side ready to conquer the English test. Well, the good news is, Mohammed Shami has been selected for the T20Is. However, there is no place for Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant. However, Axar Patel has been awarded the designation of a vice-captain despite Hardik Pandya being in the squad.
Mohammed Shami back: Biggest news for IND vs ENG T20Is
Mohammed Shami last played for India way back in the ODI World Cup Final against Australia on November 19, 2023. But now, after all his recovery from the injury and toil in the domestic setup, Shami has been finally selected. Shami’s inclusion also hints that these T20Is may be stepping stones to make him ready for the ICC Champions Trophy. The pace battery includes Shami, Arshdeep Singh, and Harshit Rana, meaning Team India finds no place for injured Mayank Yadav, Avesh Khan, Yash Dayal, and Vijaykumar Vyshak. Both Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah have been rested.
No Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant
Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma continue at top. Earlier, reports suggested that Yashasvi Jaiswal might play the T20Is but he has been rested. Abhishek Sharma, despite his mediocre form in international cricket, has continued. Yashasvi Jaiswal is also likely to be part of the ICC Champions Trophy team as a backup opener to Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma. Apart from this, Gill hasn’t been selected either, with the team majorly focusing on his ODI game.
As for the keeping spot, BCCI has not selected Rishabh Pant, hinting that he is on a rest after a gruelling BGT tour. However, his spot in the ODI setup isn’t readymade as well, with KL Rahul in the wings. Rahul has done phenomenally well and is the first-choice option in the 50-over format. Regardless, we have Dhruv Jurel as the backup keeper to Samson. In South Africa, it was Jitesh Sharma but has been axed as well. Prabhsimran Singh, who had a superlative white-ball domestic campaign, could’ve been an option but BCCI has chosen to ignore him.
India squad for IND vs ENG T20Is (Reports)
Suryakumar Yadav (C), Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel (vc), Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammad Shami, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel (wk).
India squad for 5 T20Is vs England (role-wise)
| Category | Players |
| Batters | Suryakumar Yadav (C), Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh |
| Bowlers | Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Ravi Bishnoi, Varun Chakravarthy |
| All-Rounders | Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Nitish Reddy |
| Keeper | Sanju Samson, Dhruv Jurel |
Sandwiched between the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) and the much-awaited ICC Champions Trophy is the bilateral series between India and England. The white-ball rubber will beckon from January 22, with five T20 internationals followed by three ODIs. Although the ODI squad and the ICC Champions Trophy squad would ideally remain the same, the case for the T20Is is altogether different for India. Led by Suryakumar Yadav, the T20I setup features a much younger roster, filled with talented superstars.
India vs England Schedule
| Match Details | Date | Time (IST) | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| India vs England, 1st T20I | Jan 22, Wed | 7:00 PM | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| India vs England, 2nd T20I | Jan 25, Sat | 7:00 PM | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai |
| India vs England, 3rd T20I | Jan 28, Tue | 7:00 PM | Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Rajkot |
| India vs England, 4th T20I | Jan 31, Fri | 7:00 PM | Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune |
| India vs England, 5th T20I | Feb 02, Sun | 7:00 PM | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai |
| India vs England, 1st ODI | Feb 06, Thu | 1:30 PM | Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur |
| India vs England, 2nd ODI | Feb 09, Sun | 1:30 PM | Barabati Stadium, Cuttack |
| India vs England, 3rd ODI | Feb 12, Wed | 1:30 PM | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad |
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