MS Dhoni continues to remain absent as India‘s selectors named the squad for the upcoming three-match T20 series against South Africa on home soil.
The return of all-rounder Hardik Pandya to the fold is the only change from India’s squad from the recently concluded T20 series in West Indies with Bhuvneshwar Kumar being the player to make way.
Rishabh Pant will continue to don the wicketkeeping gloves for the Men in Blue in the three-match series against the Proteas with Dhoni not featuring in the squad once again. The veteran wicketkeeper had earlier made himself unavailable for the ongoing tour of West Indies with Pant being named as the wicketkeeper for all three formats subsequently.
India’s squad for 3 T20Is against South Africa: Virat(Capt), Rohit (vc), KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas, Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant (WK), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Krunal Pandya, Washington Sundar, Rahul Chahar, Khaleel Ahmed, Deepak Chahar, Navdeep Saini#INDvSA
— BCCI (@BCCI) August 29, 2019
With Bhuvneshwar and Jasprit Bumrah both rested for the T20 clashes, India will have to depend on an inexperienced pace unit comprising of Khaleel Ahmed, Navdeep Saini and Deepak Chahar while Rahul Chahar, Krunal Pandya, Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja make up the spin contingent.
Manish Pandey continues to retain his spot in the batting unit despite his unconvincing displays in the Caribbean while Shreyas Iyer will hope to feature in the playing XI after not getting a single game in the three T20s against West Indies.
India are slated to play three T20s and as many Tests against South Africa once they return from their ongoing tour of the West Indies. The first T20 between India and the Proteas will get underway at Dharamsala on September 15.
India 15-man squad for T20 series
Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Krunal Pandya, Washington Sundar, Rahul Chahar, Khaleel Ahmed, Deepak Chahar, Navdeep Saini.
