Jasprit Bumrah returns to India squad for Ireland T20Is, Rinku Singh earns maiden call-up

The Indian Cricket Team receives a massive boost as ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah returns to the squad for the Ireland T20Is, starting August 18 in Dublin. Bumrah, who was out since September last year due to a back injury, will also lead the new-looking Indian side. Left-handed batter Rinku Singh has also earned maiden India call-up as fast bowler Prasidh Krishna makes the cut.

With more than a fortnight to go before the start of the three-match Ireland T20Is, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee decided to rest the star players as Asia Cup 2023 looms. While regular captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are anyway out of the scheme from this format following the T20 World Cup debacle against England last year, several top names like Ravindra Jadeja, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and stand-in captain Hardik Pandya, also got rested.

It means the board picked an inexperienced squad with some new faces, including Rinku Singh. The left-handed batter had outstanding numbers and outings in this year’s IPL to press his case for selection. Though the selectors decided to overlook him for the West Indies T20I, they offered him his maiden chance in India colours at the international level.

ALSO READ:Rustom Sorabji Cooper, oldest first-class cricketer, passes away at 100

Alongside him, keeper batter Jitesh Sharma, who proved his credentials playing for Punjab Kings, also received a call-up, while Avesh Khan and Prasidh Krishna, two seamers who were out of action for some time now, got picked too.

The BCCI selectors named Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar and Shahbaz Ahmed in the all-rounders' category in the 15-man squad.

Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad were picked as openers, while Sanju Samson retained his place in the T20I squad. Tilak Varma, who also received his maiden call-up for West Indies T20Is, also got picked.

Besides, Bumrah, who finally made his much-anticipated return after 11 months, seamers Mukesh Kumar and left-armer Arshdeep Singh were also named.

Here is India’s T20I squad for the Ireland series –

Jasprit Bumrah (Captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson (wk), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Shivam Dube, W Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Ravi Bishnoi, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar, Avesh Khan

WATCH WION LIVE HERE: