Middle-order batter Rajat Patidar and medium pacer Mukesh Kumar has been selected for the three-match ODI series against South Africa starting this week.
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Shikhar Dhawan will lead the team, while Shreyas Iyer will be his deputy. Interestingly, opener Prithvi Shaw, who has been in red-hot form with the bat, has again been given the cold shoulder by the selectors.
Madhya Pradesh batter Patidar has been rewarded for his stellar performances in domestic cricket, his breakthrough season for in the IPL, where he turned out for Royal Challengers Bangalore, and more recently, his brilliant run for India A against new Zealand A in the four-day games. Patidar has smashed two centuries against the visitors.
Meanwhile, Mukesh Kumar, a prolific red ball bowler for Bengal, had performed just at the right time, emerging as top wicket-taker in first class games against New Zealand ‘A’ and followed that up with another stupendous show in the ongoing Irani Cup against 2019-20 Ranji champions Saurashtra.
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Wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan is back from the anonymity, while Sanju Samson also made the cut. Shardul Thakur, too, has been rewarded for his brilliant all-round show against New Zealand A.
Pacer Avesh Khan, who was ruled out during the Asia Cup due to a fever-related illness also found a spot in the 16-member squad.
India’s T20 World Cup standbys Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Chahar, and Ravi Bishnoi are also named in the squad.
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The first match will be played on October 6 in Lucknow. The second ODI will be held in Ranchi on October 9. The third and final ODI will be played in Delhi on October 11.
India’s ODI squad: Shikhar Dhawan (Captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubhman Gill, Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), Rajat Patidar, Rahul Tripathi, Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Shahbaz Ahmed, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Mukesh Kumar, Avesh Khan, Mohd. Siraj, Deepak Chahar