Star Indian middle-order batter Suryakumar Yadav is all set to captain the second-string Indian team for the five-match T20 series against Australia starting on Thursday. After an impressive yet heartbreaking performance in an ICC event, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the Indian squad for the upcoming Twenty20 International series against Australia on Monday.
Experienced Indian players including Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Shami will be rested after the completion of the ODI World Cup 2023, providing a chance for up-and-coming talent to demonstrate their abilities to showcase their talent ahead of the all-important 2024 T20 World Cup.
All-rounder Hardik Pandya sustained an ankle injury during the ICC World Cup 2023 league stage. The medical team has allegedly recommended that Pandya take a six-to eight-week break after missing the final stretch of the majority marquee event and could eventually miss the South Africa series starting in December.
Due to Pandya’s inability to play in the Australia series, middle-order batsman Suryakumar will lead India in the Twenty20 Internationals. Shreyas Iyer will serve as the vice-captain of the team for the final two Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) in Raipur and Bengaluru. while Asian Gold medal-winning skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad will serve as deputy of Suryakumar Yadav in the first two T20 games.
on notably absentees Sanju Samson and Yuzvendra Chahal were not part of the 15-men squad for the Australia series. The Men in Blue will look to be aggressive in T20 cricket as they invested in the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma, and Tilak Varma in the shorter format of the game and they could be crucial for the team’s chances in 2024 T20 World Cup in the West Indies and USA.
Head of National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, VVS Laxman is expected to be in charge of Team India in the five-match Twenty20 International series against Australia. It was not long ago when VVS Laxman assumed command of the Indian side in International Cricket. He served as head coach for the men’s team to clinch the gold medal in the 2023 Asian Games campaign and the three-match T20I series against Ireland.
India’s squad: Suryakumar Yadav (Captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad (vice-captain), Ishan Kishan, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Shivam Dubey, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar (Shreyas Iyer for last two T20 Games)
