BCCI announces India's T20I squad for New Zealand tour

Team India, on Sunday, announced their 16-man squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series in New Zealand. India will play a full-fledged series in New Zealand consisting of five T20Is, three ODIs and as many Tests. The long tour will start with the tussle in the shortest format on January 24. On the very expected lines, the selectors have recalled Rohit Sharma.

The senior opener was given some much-needed rest for the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka and would return to the team during the upcoming ODI series against Australia, starting on January 14. Sanju Samson, meanwhile, has paid the price for Rohit Sharma’s inclusion in the team. The right-handed batsman has made way for the star batsman.

Samson had returned to the T20I team since the series against Bangladesh in November and recently got a chance in the playing eleven during the third T20I against Sri Lanka. He, however, remains in the picture and is a part of the India A side that will tour New Zealand. If need arises, he might also get a recall from the senior team.

Shami returns too, Pandya still absent

Along with Rohit Sharma, Mohammed Shami has returned to the T20I team too. Just like Rohit, Shami was also rested for the series against Sri Lanka. Jasprit Bumrah will continue to lead the pace attack while Navdeep Saini and Shardul Thakur have also retained their spots after impressing against Sri Lanka.

Allrounder Hardik Pandya, meanwhile, continues to remain away from the action. Expectations were high that he would finally return to action after recover from the back injury that has kept him on the sidelines since September. However, the BCCI has confirmed that the allrounder’s rehabilitation process is taking longer than expected. He had initially been named in the India A limited-overs tour to New Zealand, only to be pulled out at the 11th hour with Vijay Shankar replacing him.

India’s T20I squad: Virat Kohli (C), Rohit Sharma (VC), KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant (WK), Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Navdeep Saini, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur