This season, the focus is much more on Test cricket than the white-ball game as the race for World Test Championship final berths gets intense. India have a packed red-ball schedule and play their next Test against New Zealand from October 16 in Bengaluru.
But till that begins, all eyes will certainly be on the country’s T20 specialists who are keen on proving their mettle in the T20I series against Bangladesh, which gets underway at the newly built Shrimant Madhavrao Scindia Stadium in Gwalior on Sunday.
These specialists have proved themselves while representing their IPL franchises. But making an impression in India colours and cementing their place in the squad for the shortest format will surely be on the minds of keeper-batter Sanju Samson, Riyan Parag, Abhishek Sharma, Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar and the like.
With Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill rested for this three-match series, Abhishek, who drew attention withhis breathtaking century against Zimbabwe in Harare in July, has a good chance of making a case for himself in the top order.
For Riyan, these matches will provide him with an opportunity to get a big score or two, especially after he flattered to deceive in the T20Is and a lone ODI on the preceding tours of Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka. Left-hander Rinku, who hasn’t had much cricket over the last two months, should also be hoping to do the same.
Talking about Samson, who comes off a brisk 106 in the Duleep Trophy, he needs to ensure he makes good use of his current form to remain relevant. He has a tendencyof throwing it away withextravagant shot-making despite being well set. That is a strict no-no for the Kerala cricketer who will be opening in this series with Abhishek, as skipper Suryakumar Yadav said on Saturday.
Among the bowlers, left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh — likely to spearhead India’s bowling attack — and leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi have to aim for consistency to make sure their places in the team aren’t questioned. Off-spinner all-rounder Washington Sundar, after his decent showing against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, is expected to make the XI, especially with left-armer Axar Patel rested.
For captain Surya and all-rounder Hardik Pandya, the two senior-most in the team, it will be about quickly getting into rhythm. Surya had a bit of game time in the form of a Duleep Trophy clash a few weeks ago in Anantapur following his recovery from a hand injury.
But Hardik played his last competitive game on July 28 in a T20I against Sri Lanka. No wonder he will be looking to shake off the rust as fastas possible.
Dube ruled out
All-rounder Shivam Dube has been ruled out of this T20I series with a back injury, said a BCCI release late on Saturday evening. Left-handed batsman Tilak Varma has been named as Dube’s replacement and will link up with the squadon Sunday.
Spinner Varun Chakravarthy, if he makes the XI in the opener, will be making his first India appearance since November 2021. In this year’s IPL, Chakravarthy looked much sharper in Kolkata Knight Riders’ triumphant campaign. Head coach Gautam Gambhir knows it too well.
