(Source X)
The majority of the Indian players scheduled for the Zimbabwe series have arrived in Harare. Rinku Singh and Khaleel Ahmed, who departed from Barbados via a commercial flight, are expected to join the squad shortly. Both players were part of India’s T20 World Cup squad as travelling reserves but did not return to Delhi with the main team.
Additionally, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shivam Dube, and Sanju Samson were initially named in the T20I squad for the Zimbabwe series. However, the men’s senior selection committee has since announced their replacements.
“The Men’s Selection Committee has named Sai Sudharsan, Jitesh Sharma and Harshit Rana as replacements for Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube and Yashasvi Jaiswal for the first two T20Is against Zimbabwe.
“Originally slated to join the Zimbabwe-bound squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series starting Saturday, 6th July, the trio will travel to India first with the rest of the ICC T20 World Cup-winning Indian squad before departing for Harare,” read a BCCI release.
Harshit Rana, Jitesh Sharma, and Sai Sudharsan have been called up as reinforcements for the first two T20Is only. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) did not specify the reason for these players coming to Delhi, while Rinku Singh and Khaleel Ahmed are headed to Zimbabwe. It is understood that the entire squad is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi upon their arrival in Delhi. The chartered flight carrying the Indian contingent is scheduled to land in the capital early on Thursday.
“Yes, both Khaleel and Rinku have left for Zimbabwe as they were named in the squad for the first two games. Rest will travel to Delhi first,” says a source close to developments.
Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Shivam Dube are set to join the squad ahead of the third T20I scheduled for July 10.
India’s squad: Shubman Gill (Captain), 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).
