India have today announced their squad for the upcoming test and T20 series against neighbours Bangladesh. The selectors have chosen to keep faith with the same test squad that demolished South Africa 3-0, but have made a number of changes to the T20 team with one eye on next year’s World Cup in Australia.
What changes have India made to the T20 squad for the Bangladesh series?
From the squad that toured the West Indies and won 2-0 in the Caribbean, India have made four changes. Out go skipper Virat Kohli, spinner Ravindra Jadeja and pacers Navdeep Saini and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and in come wicket-keeper batsman Sanju Samson, all-rounder Shivam Dube, pacer Shardul Thakur and leggie Yuzvendra Chahal.
India announce T20 squad to take on Bangladesh. Test side remains the same one that beat the #Proteas. Changes from previous Indian T20 squad below. #INDvBAN #sscricket
Kohli ❌
Jadeja ❌
Bhuvi ❌
Saini ❌Samson ✅
Dube ✅
Thakur ✅
Chahal ✅— thecricketblog (@thecricblogger) October 24, 2019
With regular skipper Kohli rested for the three-match Twenty 20 series, Rohit Sharma will lead the Men in Blue against Bangladesh
With MS Dhoni seemingly out of favour with the selectors, Kerala keeper batsman Sanju Samson has been rewarded for some fine performances on the domestic circuit. Samson’s last and only international game was back in July 2015 against Zimbabwe. The 24 year old Royals star also scored a brilliant double century (212 off 129 balls) against Goa earlier this month in the Vijay Hazare trophy.
Mumbai all rounder Shivam Dube has received his maiden call-up to the national squad. Dube’s inclusion is an interesting one, and suggests Vijay Shankar may not make the trip to Australia next year.
The three T20I internationals will be played on November 3, 7 & 10 in New Delhi, Rajkot and Nagpur respectively.
India T20I squad vs Bangladesh
Rohit Sharma (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Sanju Samson (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant (wk), Washington Sundar, Krunal Pandya, Yuzvendra Chahal, Rahul Chahar, Deepak Chahar, Khaleel Ahmed, Shivam Dube & Shardul Thakur
As mentioned above, the test side is the same one that played against South Africa. Shahbaz Nadeem, who debuted in Ranchi after an injury to Kuldeep Yadav, will not get the opportunity to add to his solitary test cap after the latter was passed fit.
Test Squad vs BD
The two test series will be played at Indore (November 14 -18) and Kolkata (November 22 to 26)
Virat Kohli (capt), Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Rishabh Pant, Ravi Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma and Shubman Gill