Team India returns to action later today when the side takes on Sri Lanka in a three-match T20I series.
The first match of the series will be played in Lucknow and the Indian squad sees a return of a number of familiar faces including Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja.
However, while senior players like Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant were rested, a host of other first-team regulars like Suryakumar Yadav and Deepak Chahar were forced to miss the series due to injuries.
Bumrah had been rested for the limited-overs series against the West Indies but makes a return in T20Is against Sri Lanka, where he has also been named the vice-captain. Former Indian bowler Ashish Nehra, however, was “surprised” with Bumrah’s inclusion.
“I am very surprised that Bumrah is playing in these T20Is. Every player wants to play, no doubt, but we have two Tests following this series as well. There are many matches to come. We have so many options among fast bowlers and a significant number of them need game time and confidence,” Nehra said on Cricbuzz.
In absence of senior pacers Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar was given an extended rope and impressed in his outings against the Windies in the shortest format, while Avesh Khan also had a quality outing in the final T20I of the series against the Caribbean side. Nehra said that the return of Bumrah would mean limited opportunities for the other pacers.
“Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Siraj, Avesh Khan, for example, need more game time. The moment Bumrah returns to the XI, one of these players will have to miss the spot. So I’m surprised that he is playing here,” said Nehra.
India squad: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Deepak Hooda, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Jasprit Bumrah (vice-captain), Avesh Khan.