India has announced its team for the T20Is against South Africa, and Hardik Pandya is all set to make his comeback. Shubman Gill’s name as vice captain is also there in the team, but his participation will depend on his fitness clearance. Rinku Singh and Nitish Kumar Reddy have faced omission from the team; otherwise, the selectors focused on the team's stability.
Shubman Gill, who had suffered a neck injury in the Eden Gardens test match, is now trying to bounce back at BCCI's CoE. Surya Kumar Yadav will lead India in this five-match series, which is going to start from 9th December.
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Getting clearance from the CoE, Hardik Pandya played two matches for Baroda in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, and as soon as he returned to the side, it automatically excluded Nitish Kumar Reddy. Reddy, who was in the team in Australia and had not had any chance to play any of the matches.
His omission from the team is expected, but the shock comes when Rinku Singh gets dropped from the team and Washington Sundar takes his place. Rinku Singh only played in the team in the last T20I in Australia in Brisbane. It shows that the Indian selector wants an extra spinner in the team, as the upcoming T20 World Cup is going to take place in spin-friendly conditions. India and Sri Lanka will host the T20 World Cup in February.
Jitesh Sharma or Sanju Samson, who will take the gloves, will be a question. Jasprit Bumrah will lead the fast-bowling line-up alongside Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana. Hardik, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar are all-rounders, whereas Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav will lead the spin bowling department.
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The squad selection showed stability, and it is an indication that Team India will go with this team to the World Cup.
India's T20I squad for the South Africa series
Suryakumar Yadav (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar
Though Shubman Gill is subject to fitness clearance from the BCCI CoE.
