The Indian selectors and team management is likely to appoint a new captain for the three-match T20 series against Ireland, as the regular-skipper Hardik Pandya is set to be part of the preparatory camp for the Asia Cup in the last week of August.
Team India will be touring Ireland in August for a three-match T20I series. The series will take place right after India’s tour of the West Indies comes to an end. India and Ireland will play three T20Is on August 18, 20, and 23 and all the games are scheduled to take place in Malahide.
In 2022 Indian team engaged in two-match T20 series in Ireland, where India won the series 2-0. The Men in Blue will be eyeing a similarly dominating performance in the upcoming tour in Ireland. India team will be looking to provide opportunities to the fringe players in the Ireland tour.
The senior players are unlikely to be a part of the T20I squad as they will be given some much-needed rest ahead of this year’s World Cup. Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Mohammed Shami, and KL Rahul are unlikely to be part of the squad for the Ireland series.
Earlier, Indian head coach Rahul Dravid suggested that India would have a week-long camp in Bengaluru to prepare for the Asia Cup 2023 in the latter part of August. It also said that Rahul Dravid and other support staff would be relieved from the Ireland tour to organize the preparatory camp ahead of the Asia Cup. The six-nation tournament being held in Pakistan and Sri Lanka is based on the hybrid concept proposed by the PCB.
Indian Speedster Jasprit Bumrah is likely to return to action during the Ireland tour. According to sources in NCA, Bumrah is making good progress and may very well be at his peak fitness when he returns to the blues. The decision to include them in the Ireland tour will be based on his body fitness in the upcoming days which would help him to be fully fit for the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka.
The Continental event will be played in a 50-over format from August 31st to September 17th, which has grouped India and Pakistan with Nepal. Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka are included in the other group.