IND vs ENG: There comes a major blow for the Indian team as Mohammed Shami who had sustained an ankle injury might miss the first two Test matches against England slated to begin on January 25. Shami had not resumed bowling & could miss crucial fixtures of the India vs England series. In addition to team India’s woes, Suryakumar Yadav too will miss the series as he will undergo hernia surgery & will take a long time to return to action.
Shami was included in India’s Test squad against South Africa in November. But his participation in the series was subjected to the clearance of his fitness Test. BCCI has not given Shami a green signal to feature in the series & he is still away from the cricket field. While Shami is doubtful for the first two Tests, Suryakumar’s surgery will keep him away for a longer period. He is all set to be away from action for a period of eight to nine weeks after the hernia operation.
As the England series will be played on Indian soil BCCI doesn’t want to rush with their star pacer Shami. They want to give him enough time to recover fully & with Siraj & Bumrah available for the series. Considering the spin’s potential impact, India may not require a full complement of fast bowlers, easing the pressure on Shami’s swift comeback.
A Glimpse of India’s Squad for Afghanistan T20I series
India has announced the squad for the T20I series against Afghanistan & there comes a boon for the Indian setup as Virat Kohli & Rohit Sharma return to the squad. Rohit will lead the side & the injured players Hardik & Suryakumar will be unavailable for selection. Looking at Virat & Rohit’s good form & the need for a senior player in the Indian lineup, selectors decided to include them in the T20I squad for the Afghanistan series. KL Rahul couldn’t find a place in the T20I lineup while Gaikwad has been rested as he is nursing his finger injury. Veteran pacers Bumrah & Siraj have been rested for the series as they will return for the crucial England series. Overall the squad looks quite competent & perfect for another gleaming win.
India’s squad for Afghanistan T20Is:
Rohit Sharma (capt), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar
Also read, IND vs AFG: India announces Squad for Afghanistan T20Is
