Jitesh Sharma is poised to overtake Ishan Kishan for the second wicketkeeper position in the Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian T20 team for the upcoming three-match series against Bangladesh, starting October 6 in Gwalior. The squad is expected to be announced this week, with the second and third T20Is scheduled for October 9 in New Delhi and October 12 in Hyderabad. Given Rishabh Pant’s focus on the Test format this season, Sanju Samson will serve as the primary wicketkeeper in T20s, while Jitesh, from Vidarbha, appears to have the edge over Kishan for the backup role. Kishan’s selection in the Rest of India squad may further delay his return to international cricket.
Ruturaj Gaikwad, captain of the Rest of India team, faces a challenging schedule as he will be engaged in the Irani Cup until October 5, leaving limited time to prepare for the T20Is against Bangladesh. Speculation suggests that Yashasvi Jaiswal might be included in the lineup for the first match, with Gaikwad potentially joining the squad for the final two games.
Hardik Pandya is expected to make a comeback to the national team, alongside Shivam Dube. Several players who participated in the recent series against Zimbabwe, including Rinku Singh, Riyan Parag, Washington Sundar, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh, Tushar Deshpande, and Ravi Bishnoi, are also likely to be part of the squad. Additionally, Harshit Rana, who was a backup pacer during the Zimbabwe tour, could receive an opportunity.
With the Test series against New Zealand commencing on October 16 in Bengaluru, key players like Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, and Jasprit Bumrah may be rested as part of a workload management strategy. Some players may miss the T20 series due to their commitments in the Irani Cup, which runs from October 1 to 5, featuring a match between Rest of India and Mumbai in Lucknow.
Abhishek Sharma, the explosive left-handed batsman from Punjab, is set to return to contention in Gill’s absence. However, it remains uncertain who will open the batting alongside him if both Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal are rested. As the squad composition unfolds, the focus will be on balancing performance with player fitness leading into a busy international schedule.
