BCCI announces India squad for T20I series vs ENG: Samson and Shami Return

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series against England. The series, which begins on January 22 in Kolkata, will see Sanju Samson return to the T20I set-up while veteran Mohammed Shami makes a much-anticipated comeback.

Samson in, pants left out

Sanju Samson has been named as the first-choice wicketkeeper batsman, in replacement Rishabh pantsthat has been rested. Samson’s recent performances in T20Is have earned him the spot, and he is expected to play a key role at the top of the order.

Suryakumar Yadav will continue to captain the side. His aggressive batting style has been perfect for India’s attacking philosophy in recent times. Axar Patel has been handed the vice-captaincy duties, a move that reflects his growing stature in the team.

With senior pacers jasprit bumrah i Mohammed Siraj out with injuries, the return of Mohammed Shami is a significant boost to the bowling department. Shami last played for India in the ICC World Cup 2023 final and has been sidelined with injury ever since.

New faces and key inclusions

The team features some new faces. Dhruv Jurel, an up-and-coming wicketkeeper-batsman, has been included as the second maintenance option behind Samson. Nitish Kumar Reddy he has also been rewarded with a call-up after his stellar performances in domestic cricket and the tour of Australia.

Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh will lead the pace attack while spin options include Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav. Riyan Parag, who has recovered from injury, was not considered for the squad.

Mohammed Shami’s comeback is one of the main talking points of the squad announcement. The experienced pacer has been out of the international scene for 14 months and will be keen to make an impact.

Indiathe defending T20 World Cup champions, have been dominant in the bilateral T20I series since their triumph in Barbados. The team has not lost a series since then, and will look to continue that streak against England.

Yashasvi Jaiswal i Shubman Gill they have been rested However, Abhishek Sharma has been able to keep his place intact. Rinku Singh continues to strengthen the middle order. However, Ruturaj Gaikwad continues to be overlooked by the selectors despite a superb domestic season.

India squad for T20I series against England: 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 (Week).

Stay up to date with all the cricket action, follow cricket activated whatsapp, Facebook, Twitter, telegram i Instagram