Ahead of the three-match T20I series against Australia at home, Team India suffered a massive blow as star pacer Mohammed Shamihas been ruled out of the assignment after testing positive for COVID-19.
Shami, 32, was selected in the Indian T20I team for the first time since the end of last year’s T20 World Cup in the UAE. Meanwhile, reports suggest Umesh Yadav has been added to the Indian team for the Australian series.
The 34-year-old Umesh, who has represented India in seven T20I matches in his career, will make a comeback after two years as he had last played for the Men in Blue in the shortest format against Australia in Visakhapatnam on February 24, 2019.
Shami, who was named in the stand by for the upcoming T20 World Cup, which will be held in Australia from October 16 to November 13, is now expected to make his comeback in the team for the next series against South Africa.
India Squad for Australia T20Is:
Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul (VC), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dinesh Karthik (wk), Hardik Pandya, R. Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah and Umesh Yadav.