Krunal Pandya has responded to missing out on India’s T20I squad for the series against Afghanistan. Posting on his Instagram Story after the announcement, he wrote that hope was still alive, signalling that he has not given up on another India chance.
The squad and fixtures
The selectors named a 15-man group on September 1, with Shreyas Iyer as captain and Tilak Varma as vice-captain. The three matches will be played in New Delhi on September 13, 15 and 17.
Why Krunal’s case is strong
The all-rounder has had two impressive IPL seasons with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, helping them to successful campaigns. He took 31 wickets across the two seasons and contributed useful runs. Yet he has been out of international cricket for roughly five years.
The selectors kept faith with Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi as the main spin options. Axar’s recent T20I returns have been modest, with four wickets in seven games against Ireland and England, but continuity won out.
Fitness concerns in the group
Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana and Washington Sundar were picked subject to fitness clearance after injuries on the England tour. Hardik Pandya was left out after a leg problem delayed his return to competitive action. With so many doubts, changes to the side remain possible before the series starts.
The squad: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma (vice-captain), Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana. Reddy, Sundar, Bumrah and Rana are subject to fitness.
