BCCI announce India squad for Nidahas trophy

BCCI has announced India’s T20I squad for the upcoming Nidahas trophy which will begin on March 6. The selectors have decided to rest the key players of the team who were involved in the long and gruelling tour of South Africa. Rohit Sharma will lead the new-look squad as Shikhar Dhawan will be his deputy on the tour. Nidahas Trophy will be played between March 6 and March 18 with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka being the two other teams. However, it is a good opportunity for the youngsters to make a mark in the shortest format of the game.

The skipper Virat Kohli has been rested as he was ruled out of the final T20I against South Africa due to a stiff back. MS Dhoni and Hardik Pandya have also been given a breather after a hectic ODI and T20I series which India won. The latter especially needed it after playing every game on the gruelling tour to the rainbow nation. Even the fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have not been included to keep them fresh for the upcoming overseas assignments with Kuldeep Yadav most probably not being fit from his finger injury.

Who all are included?

Almost all the players who were included during Sri Lanka’s last visit to India for the three-match T20I series have been recalled. Rishabh Pant is back into the side and will take up the responsibility behind the stumps. Suresh Raina continued to be in the squad after an impressive show in South Africa. he was also awarded Man of the Match in the decider for his all-round performance.

Deepak Hooda, Vijay Shankar and Washington Sundar are the all-rounders in the squad and it will be interesting to see if they will be given an opportunity in the series. While Sundar was handed a debut in December, the other two will be itching to wear the Indian jersey during the tri-series. Mohammad Siraj also returns to the set up after a good show in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy.

India squad: Rohit Sharma (Capt), Shikhar Dhawan (vc), KL Rahul, Suresh Raina, Manish Pandey, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Vijay Shankar, Shardul Thakur, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammad Siraj, Rishabh Pant (wk).

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