Hardik Pandya likely to be rested for Ireland T20Is; Suryakumar Yadav may lead the India team – Report

India will play three T20Is on the tour of Ireland next month.

Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya | GettyTeam India are currently in West Indies for an all-format tour. After the ongoing two-match Test series, the two sides will square off in three ODIs and five T20Is.

The eight white-ball games will be held in Barbados, Trinidad, Guyana and Florida from July 27 to August 13.

Soon after the Caribbean tour, the Men in Blue will depart for Ireland for a T20I series. India will play three T20Is against Ireland at Malahide on August 18, August 20 and August 23.

For the tour of Ireland, India’s T20I skipper Hardik Pandya is likely to be given a break, TOI reported on Saturday (July 22).

According to the report, there is a possibility that Suryakumar Yadav, who is currently India’s vice-captain in the shortest format, could be asked to lead the side.

Notably, senior players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been sidelined from the T20I squad ever since India's T20 World Cup semi-final ouster last year.

While Hardik will captain the Indian T20I team on the tour of West Indies, young batters like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tilak Varma have earned their maiden call-ups for the series.

The squad for Ireland T20Is is yet to be announced, but there are speculations that ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah will make a comeback to the Indian team during the series.

The right-arm quick has been away from competitive action for nearly a year now due to a recurring back injury. He underwent a back surgery earlier this year and his recovery process has been underway at National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru since then.

On Friday (July 21), the BCCI issued a statement, providing an update that Bumrah is in the final stage of his rehab and is bowling with full intensity in the nets.

(With TOI Inputs)

 
 

By Salman Anjum - 22 Jul, 2023

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