NEW DELHI: Pace sensation Mayank Yadav received his maiden call-up as the Ajit Agarkar-led senior selection committee announced India’s squad for the three-match T20I series against Bangladesh, set to begin on October 6.
Mayank has been sidelined since April 30 due to an injury sustained during the IPL 2024.
Suryakumar Yadav will captain the team with mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy making a comeback to Indian squad after nearly three years.
Test regulars Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Rishabh Pant have been given a break.
Nitish Reddy, the reserve seam-bowling all-rounder following Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube, received an opportunity after being sidelined from the recent Zimbabwe tour due to an injury.
Promising cricketers such as Riyan Parag, Abhishek Sharma, and Harshit Rana have secured their spots in the 15-member team, which includes Jitesh Sharma as the secondary wicketkeeper, with Sanju Samson being the primary choice.
The most notable surprise is the inclusion of Mayank, who consistently bowled in the mid-150 km/h range for the Lucknow Super Giants in three of his four IPL matches, earning back-to-back Player of the Match awards that attracted global attention.
Unfortunately, during the IPL season, the 22-year-old bowler from Delhi was sidelined due to a lower abdominal strain.
Given his exceptional talent, he was carefully managed with a comprehensive rehabilitation program and has recently been bowling 14 to 15 overs daily at the National Cricket Academy (NCA).
It is believed that the upcoming Bangladesh series presents the best opportunity for the national selection committee and head coach Gautam Gambhir to evaluate how he performs at the international level, as he will only be required to bowl four overs.
If he holds up well physically, there’s potential for him to be gradually integrated into longer formats, as he is viewed as a promising talent for the future of Indian cricket.
India will play three T20Is in Gwalior (October 6), New Delhi (October 9) and Hyderabad (October 12).
India’s squad for 3 T20Is against Bangladesh: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Riyan Parag, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Varun Chakaravarthy, JItesh Sharma (wk), Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Mayank Yadav
