Hardik Pandya and Rohit Sharma have been kept in India’s ODI squad vs Afghanistan, but their participation is subject to fitness clearance.
India are set to take on Afghanistan in a one-off Test and a series of three ODI matches. While the red-ball game is scheduled to begin on June 6, the one-dayers are set to start on June 13. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has already announced the squads for the two formats. In ODIs, two players — Hardik Pandya and Rohit Sharma — have been kept in the squad, but their participation in the games will be subject to fitness clearance, informed the Board.
Hardik is set to reach the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru and is expected to spend a week there before joining his India teammates for the ODI series against Afghanistan, reported Times of India. It further said that the BCCI instructed both Hardik and Rohit to report to the CoE, but there is no update on the India opener.
India’s ODI Squad: Shubman Gill (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), KL Rahul (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, Harsh Dubey.
Auqib, Zeeshan among 7 picked to bowl in India nets ahead of Afghan Test
Jammu and Kashmir seamer Auqib Nabi Dar, whose non-selection in the Indian Test squad invited widespread criticism, has been summoned by the team management along with six others to bowl in the nets ahead of the one-off Test against Afghanistan starting June 6.
Besides Auqib, wiry UP leg-spinner Zeeshan Ansari, who plays for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL, has also been asked to bowl in the nets as the Afghanistan team is expected to have a few wrist spinners.
“Yes Auqib Nabi has been asked to join the India nets. It is not just Auqib but there are six others, who have also been called to join the India nets. Due to extreme weather conditions, the two premier fast bowlers Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna can’t go flat out in the nets after a gruelling three games in seven days with travel. The batters would need adequate practice,” a BCCI source privy to the development told PTI.
Auqib, who got 60 wickets to become highest wicket-taker while guiding Jammu and Kashmir to Ranji Trophy triumph, was pipped by gangly Punjab paceman Gurnoor Brar in the Indian team.
The J&K medium pacer’s omission had caused a furore with former India skipper and ex-chairman of selection committee Dilip Vengsarkar questioning the sanctity of Ranji Trophy if performances in the tournament weren’t rewarded.
