Team India players to assemble in Delhi on June 5 for South Africa T20Is

After successfully organizing the 15th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) which also included a glittering closing ceremony just before the final, BCCI has now shifted its focus to the remainder of the home season. Team India is set to host South Africa for five T20 Internationals starting from June 9 and the board has asked its players to assemble in Delhi, the venue for the first T20I, on June 5.

The selectors have rested the senior players for this series with an eye on the upcoming England tour, which also includes the pending fifth Test that wasn’t played on the last tour due to the COVID-19 threat. KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant have been named captain and vice-captain respectively to face the Proteas. Meanwhile, Cricket South Africa (CSA) has confirmed that the visiting team led by Temba Bavuma will reach Delhi on June 2.

According to Cricbuzz, a Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA) official confirmed the arrival date of the Indian team. The messages were sent by the board to the selected players on Monday (May 30). As for the rest of the four T20Is, they will be played in Cuttack, Vizag, Rajkot, and Bangalore on June 12, 14, 17, and 19 respectively.

Indian team to leave for England on June 16

It was earlier reported that the Indian team picked for England tour, especially the remaining fifth Test, will leave for the UK on June 16. Meanwhile, India is also scheduled to tour Ireland for two T20Is in the last week of June. The squad is yet to be picked for the same and once selected, the players will travel to Ireland on June 23 or 24.

Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer who will feature in the upcoming South Africa T20Is and are also selected in India’s Test squad will leave for England on June 19. They will fly directly from Bangalore where the final T20I is set to be played.

However, it is still not clear whether head coach Rahul Dravid will oversee the entire South Africa series and then leave for the UK. VVS Laxman, the NCA head, is set to be team India’s head coach for the Ireland tour with Dravid being with the Test team at the same time.