After Test win, India eye T20 series against Bangladesh

Pace sensation Mayank Yadav faces fitness test, chance for fringe players to shine

PTI

Gwalior, Updated At : 10:27 AM Oct 06, 2024 IST

Indian players during a practice session ahead of the first T20I match in Gwalior on Saturday. PTI

Pace sensation Mayank Yadav is expected to unleash his raw speed while the absence of India’s T20 regulars will provide another opportunity to the fringe players in the three-match series against Bangladesh, beginning here Sunday.

Dube ruled out, Tilak gets call-up
All-rounder Shivam Dube has been ruled out of the three-match T20I series against Bangladesh starting Sunday owing to a back injury that has recently resurfaced. Mumbai Indians left-hander Tilak Varma has been recalled to the squad in place of Dube.
"All-rounder Shivam Dube is ruled out of the three-match T20I series owing to a back injury. The Senior Selection Committee has named Tilak Varma as Shivam’s replacement. Tilak will link up with the squad in Gwalior on Sunday," BCCI secretary Jay Shah stated

Having consistently generated speed in excess of 150kmph in his maiden IPL earlier this year, Mayank had drawn the attention of the cricketing world before a side strain ruled him out of the tournament.

Usually, one has to prove fitness in domestic cricket to be considered for national selection but the 22-year-old has been fast-tracked into the side considering his special talent.

The series against Bangladesh will be a test of his fitness and temperament. It remains to be seen if he can display the same accuracy and control that he exhibited in the IPL.

Besides Mayank, fellow Delhi pacer Harshit Rana and all-rounder Nitish Kumar could also make their India debut over the course of the series.

Nitish was picked for the Zimbabwe tour post the T20 World Cup but got injured while Harshit did not get to play in the five-match series in Harare.

Skipper Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya are the two big names in the squad while the other two who were part of the triumphant World Cup unit here are Shivam Dube and Arshdeep Singh.

The break to the regulars will give opportunity to the likes of Abhishek Sharma to build his credentials following a hundred in Zimbabwe at the top of the order. Sanju Samson would open alongside the southpaw in the series-opener.

Riyan Parag has got six T20s since July but he could not replicate the sizzling form he showed in IPL 2024. Varun Chakaravarthy and specialist spinner Ravi Bishnoi are also in the squad.