The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selectors face a dilemma of picking the Team India captain for IND vs AUS T20I series starting November 23 as Hardik Pandya is set to remain sidelined due to ankle injury.
According to PTI, the regular T20I skipper is unlikely to be available for India’s upcoming five-match series against Australia as he is still recovering from his left-ankle ligament tear.
A BCCI official confirmed to PTI that the all-rounder is likely to get fit by the time the South Africa T20 series which starts from December 10 in Durban.
“There is some time before Hardik can be declared fit and available for selection. It would be more practical for him to try and complete his rehabilitation with a possible ‘RTP’ (Return To Play) during SA series. It will certainly be NCA Sports science team’s call,” a senior BCCI source told PTI.
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In the absence of Hardik Pandya, the selectors grapple with choosing between Suryakumar Yadav and Ruturaj Gaikwad as stand-by captain.
Notably, Suryakumar Yadav is the designated vice-captain of the T20I side, while Ruturaj Gaikwad had the recent success in leading the young Indian side to Asian Games gold medal win.
The report in PTI further stated that if Suryakumar himself doesn’t ask for rest after the Cricket World Cup, he is the favourite to lead the side.
The squad for the IND vs AUS T20Is is likely to be announced after Team India’s World Cup semi-final which will take place on November 15.
Veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar is likely to return to the Indian squad after the gap of 12 months. Wicket-keeper Sanju Samson is also set to return in the T20I setup for the series.
The likes of Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar are also reported to be picked for the 5-match T20I series.Editor's Pick
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