Sai Sudharsan Harshit Rana Jitesh Sharma
Sai Sudharsan Harshit Rana Jitesh Sharma. Image Credits: X

Jitesh Sharma, Harshit Rana, and Sai Sudharsan have been added to the India squad for the first two matches of the upcoming five-match T20I series in Zimbabwe. The Shubman Gill-led Indian side will play the series in Harare starting July 6.

While the Indian squad for the Zimbabwe T20Is has already flown away for the series, three of the players Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Shivam Dube are yet to join the contingent.

This is because the trio is still with the T20 World Cup-winning Indian squad in Barbados. India defeated South Africa in the final in Barbados on June 29, but they have been stuck in their hotel due to the threat from Hurricane Beryl.

The Indian squad was compelled to remain inside their hotel after the hurricane was forecast to make landfall in Barbados on Monday. According to rumors, the Indian squad will depart Barbados on Tuesday, July 2, aboard a private BCCI flight.

According to journalist Vikrant Gupta, the Indian contingent was scheduled to leave Barbados on Tuesday at 6 p.m. Barbados time. This will be around 3:30 a.m. on Wednesday in IST. The team is slated to arrive in Delhi by 7:45 p.m. on Wednesday, July 3.

Jitesh Sharma, Harshit Rana, And Sai Sudharsan are to fly out to Zimbabwe for the first 2 T20Is

With the Indian squad scheduled to arrive in Delhi on Wednesday, July 3, the BCCI has decided to send Sudharsan, Jitesh Sharma, and Harshit as substitutes for the first two games in Harare. Dube, Samson, and Jaiswal will travel back to India with the rest of the World Cup squad before departing for Harare.

“The Men’s Selection Committee has named Sai Sudharsan, Jitesh Sharma and Harshit Rana as replacements for Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube and Yashasvi Jaiswal for the first two T20Is against Zimbabwe.

Originally slated to join the Zimbabwe-bound squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series starting Saturday, 6th July, the trio will travel to India first with the rest of the ICC T20 World Cup-winning Indian squad before departing for Harare,” read the statement from BCCI.

India’s squad for 1st & 2nd T20I against Zimbabwe: Shubman Gill (Captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Abhishek Sharma, Rinku Singh, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Riyan Parag, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar, Tushar Deshpande, Sai Sudharsan, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Harshit Rana

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