The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced on Tuesday the inclusion of Sai Sudharsan, Jitesh Sharma, and Harshit Rana as replacements for Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, and Yashasvi Jaiswal in the Indian squad for the first two matches of the T20I series against Zimbabwe. The series, set to begin on July 6, comprises five T20 Internationals.
The unexpected changes come as Dube, Samson, and Jaiswal, who were all part of India’s T20 World Cup-winning squad, are currently stranded in Barbados due to the impact of Hurricane Beryl. The severe weather conditions have disrupted travel plans, leaving the trio unable to join the Zimbabwe-bound group in time.
The affected players are scheduled to return to India on a charter flight on Tuesday evening, with their arrival expected on Wednesday at 7:45 PM IST. Upon their return, they will be felicitated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a ceremony recognizing their World Cup triumph.
This unforeseen situation has necessitated the BCCI to quickly identify and name suitable replacements. Among the new additions, Sai Sudharsan, who is currently engaged in county cricket for Surrey at the Oval in London, is expected to head to Harare immediately to join the team. Jitesh Sharma and Harshit Rana will also be stepping in to bolster the squad.
In another development, Khaleel Ahmed and Rinku Singh, who were travelling reserves for the T20 World Cup and are also in Barbados, have not been replaced despite their inclusion in the Zimbabwe series squad. It remains unclear whether they will be able to join the team in Zimbabwe on time or if further adjustments will be necessary.
Updated Indian Squad for First Two T20Is Against Zimbabwe:
Shubman Gill (c)
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
The inclusion of these young talents highlights India’s depth in cricketing talent and the selectors’ confidence in their abilities to step up in challenging situations. As India prepares to face Zimbabwe, the new players have an excellent opportunity to show their skills on the international stage.
