Hardik Pandya to lead India in New Zealand T20Is, Jadeja returns for Bangladesh tour

The BCCI have announced the India squad for the upcoming tours of New Zealand and Bangladesh. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul have been rested for the New Zealand tour, allowing Pandya to take over the captaincy reins in the T20Is and Shikhar Dhawan to continue leading the ODI side.

Dinesh Karthik, R Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, and Axar Patel are the other T20 World Cup squad members that will not travel to New Zealand, making way for Ishan Kishan, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson, and Washington Sundar to enter the set-up. Pacers Mohammed Siraj and Umran Malik and spinner Kuldeep Yadav have also been drafted into the squad for the three T20Is against New Zealand on November 18, 20, and 22.

In the ODI set-up, the most noteworthy inclusion is that of Kuldeep Sen. The Rajasthan Royals impressed in the recent Irani Trophy against Saurashtra and has received his maiden call-up to the Indian team. Sen is one of three uncapped pacers in the ODI squad alongside Arshdeep Singh and Umran Malik.

Washington Sundar and Shahbaz Ahmed have been selected as the all-rounders in the ODI squad, alongside wrist-spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav. The most notable omissions in the two white-ball squads for the tour of New Zealand are Prithvi Shaw and Ravi Bishnoi, who have both impressed domestically and in the IPL over the past year.

Squad for New Zealand T20Is: Hardik Pandya (C), Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Deepak Hooda, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (VC and WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel, Mohd. Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umran Malik

India’s squad for New Zealand ODIs:  Shikhar Dhawan (C), Shubman Gill, Deepak Hooda, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (VC and WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Shahbaz Ahmed, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Deepak Chahar, Kuldeep Sen, Umran Malik

For the Bangladesh tour, India have selected a more full-strength squad for the three ODIs, with Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, and Virat Kohli returning to the side alongside Ravindra Jadeja, whose availability is subject to fitness. Middle-order batters Rajat Patidar and Rahul Tripathi have been named in the squad after being part of the home series against South Africa in October, while uncapped left-arm pacer Yash Dayal also receives his maiden call-up to the national team.

Ravindra Jadeja will also return to the squad for the Bangladesh Tests if he completes his recovery, but there is no place for Jasprit Bumrah, who is still on the sidelines due to a back injury. Shubman Gill is the backup opener in the squad in place of Mayank Agarwal, while Hanuma Vihari and Ajinkya Rahane have been left out. India have selected four spinners for the two Tests in Chattogram and Mirpur, with Ashwin, Jadeja, and Axar Patel accompanied by Kuldeep Yadav.

India’s squad for Bangladesh ODIs: Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul (VC), Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Shreyas Iyer, Rahul Tripathi, Rishabh Pant (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Deepak Chahar, Yash Dayal

India’s squad for Bangladesh Tests: Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul (VC), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (WK), KS Bharat (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav