Dhoni Makes a Return to The T20I Squad

Indian national selectors led by MSK Prasad have announced the squads for the limited overs games in Australia and New Zealand. India is currently in the middle of a 4-match Test series in Australia, and will later play 3 ODIs against the same opponents in January 2019 and then travel to New Zealand for a 5-match ODI series followed by a 3-match T20I series.

Indian former captain and most successful wicket keeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni who was earlier dropped from the home T20I series against West Indies and in Australia has now found a place in the 15-member squad for the 3-match T20I series in New Zealand. He is one of the three wicket-keepers in this T20I squad alongside Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni makes a return to the Indian squad — Mahendra Singh Dhoni during a net practice session // The Quint

Rishabh Pant who had a poor show with the bat in the recent past games will return to India after the conclusion of the Test series. He will be part of India A’s squad at home that will play England Lions in a 5-match One-Day series. Meanwhile, Hardik Pandya who has recovered from the back problem he sustained in West Indies Test series found a place in both the ODI and T20I squads.

Pacer Umesh Yadav who had a tough time in the second Test match against Australia in Perth has been dropped from both these limited overs squads. Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammad Shami and Khaleel Ahmed are the four quicks in the ODI squad while Mohammad Shami from this list missed out in the T20I squad.

Squads and schedules

Squad for T20I series against New Zealand: Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma (vc), Lokesh Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik, Kedar Jadhav, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wk), Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Khaleel Ahmed.

Squad for ODI series against Australia and New Zealand: Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma (vc), Lokesh Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Ambati Rayudu, Dinesh Karthik, Kedar Jadhav, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wk), Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Khaleel Ahmed, Mohammed Shami.