India vs Bangladesh: Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube likely to be picked for the T20I series

India are currently involved in the three-match Test series against South Africa. The last game is set to commence on Saturday in Ranchi. Bangladesh is scheduled to tour India then as the two teams will face-off in the three T20 Internationals and two Tests. The hosts’ T20I squad is expected to be announced soon. And it is being reported that the selectors will try out two new faces Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube for the series.

India couldn’t win the three-match T20I series against South Africa as the visitors thumped them in the final game to level the series. Virat Kohli and the selectors have already indicated that the team will try out a few things in the lead up to the T20 World Cup next year in Australia. Accordingly, India also elected to bat at the Chinnasamy to improve their ability to set the target.

India-Bangladesh T20Is to start on November 3

According to the reports in Mumbai Mirror, Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube are in the fray to get picked for the upcoming T20I series against Bangladesh. While the former lit up the Vijay Hazare Trophy recently with a scintillating double century, Dube’s all-round heroics for Mumbai has worked in favour of the youngster.

Rather the selectors have an eye on Samson for quite a long time. He has only played a solitary T20I so far for India against Zimbabwe back in July 2015 and this will be a great chance for him to seal his place on a long term basis. Meanwhile, Hardik Pandya has been ruled out for close to four months which has led to the selectors looking for his backup. Shivam Dube looks a like for like replacement for him as of now.

However, with Samson getting picked, it also remains to be seen, if Rishabh Pant retains his place in the squad. The southpaw has come under severe criticism for playing rash shots and hasn’t performed since the World Cup. He is not the first-choice wicket-keeper in Tests and Pant will be under more pressure now if Samson is selected for the Bangladesh series.

The T20I series is set to begin on November 3 which will be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium (formerly Ferozshah Kotla) in Delhi. The other two T20Is are scheduled to take place on November 7 and 10 in Rajkot and Nagpur respectively. The two-Test series will commence on November 14 which Indore and Kolkata will host.

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