Ace seamer Mohammed Shami has returned to the Indian Team for the first time since the 2023 ODI World Cup Final against Australia, as BCCI announced a 15-man squad for the England T20Is starting January 22 in Kolkata. Suryakumar Yadav leads the star-studded side, with no Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill.

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Here is India’s T20I squad for England series –

Suryakumar Yadav (C), Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel (vc), Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammad Shami, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Washington Sundar and Dhruv Jurel (wk)

Team India ready for England

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Most players who featured in the four-match T20I series against South Africa in November retained their places, while a few made the cut on current form. 

Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma will play in the top order alongside the skipper SKY, with Hardik Pandya, his fellow all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy and Rinku Singh taking care of the middle-order duties; senior campaigner Axar Patel to play Surya’s deputy.

Meanwhile, the selection committee named all-rounder Washington Sundar alongside backup keeper-batter Dhruv Jurel.

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The highlight of this squad selection is the return of ace pacer Shami, who will don the Indian jersey for the first time since the 2023 ODI World Cup final in Ahmedabad (on November 19). The right-arm quick played the showpiece event with an ankle injury, which later ruled him out of all cricket action for almost a year. Shami, however, returned to the domestic structure in 2024, playing for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy and the Vijay Hazare Trophy and impressing the selectors with his form and fitness.

Although the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee decided against picking Shami for the recently concluded BGT Down Under, they roped him in the 15-man squad for England T20Is.

No Jaiswal, Gill or Pant

While the T20I squad indicates that the selectors are clear on whom to play in which format, the absence of three-star players – Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant raised a few eyebrows.

However, per the latest reports, the selectors rested Gill and Pant, while Jaiswal was never in the scheme of things, considering plenty of options at the top in this format. Though both might return for England ODIs and Champions Trophy 2025 squads, no word on Jaiswal’s inclusion has been shared.

Besides, should KL Rahul also get picked for the eight-team tournament scheduled in Pakistan and the UAE, he will play as a specialist batter. 

The squads for the remaining two series will be named in one week. 

India’s schedule for England T20Is –

  • 1st T20I – January 22 in Kolkata
  • 2nd T20I – January 25 in Chennai
  • 3rd T20I – January 28 in Rajkot
  • 4th T20I – January 31 in Pune
  • 5th T20I – February 2 in Mumbai

(With inputs from agencies)