2 min learnSep 3, 2026 09:45 AM IST
Former India batter S Badrinath took a sly dig at head coach Gautam Gambhir after the nationwide choice committee just lately introduced the T20I squad for the forthcoming three-match sequence towards Afghanistan, beginning September 13 in Delhi.
The 15-member squad marked a number of modifications, with a number of first-choice gamers slated for a return from damage. This contains tempo spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, all-rounders Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana, all of whom are but to obtain their health clearance from the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence.
Citing coach Gambhir’s preferences, Badrinath questioned the alternatives of Sundar and Reddy, who’re but to ascertain themselves within the format.
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“At first look, the coach’s favourites are again. Washington Sundar is getting large backing in Indian cricket. He wants to actually make use of it. And one way or the other I don’t fee Nitish Kumar Reddy so excessive. That’s due to his bowling. I nonetheless really feel he’s a batter and never somebody I fee with the ball,” Badrinath mentioned on his YouTube channel.
Badrinath, nevertheless, mentioned that Bumrah’s potential return is an enormous increase for the aspect forward of the Asian Video games gold medal defence beginning later this month in Japan. Bumrah final featured within the ODI sequence in England in July, earlier than a left knee damage dominated him out of the next Sri Lanka tour.
“Bumrah’s return is a large optimistic. It may even have been that Bumrah informed the administration that he needed to play these three matches. Then they’ve to pick him. We don’t know that. Bumrah may need spoken to Gambhir or the choice committee and mentioned he desires to play as a result of he hasn’t performed cricket for lengthy. So it may have been Bumrah’s possibility,” mentioned Badrinath.
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India’s squad for Afghanistan T20Is: Shreyas Iyer [C], Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson [WK], Ishan Kishan [WK], Tilak Varma [VC], Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy*, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar*, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah*, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana*
