India have recalled middle-order batsman Suresh Raina for the three-match Twenty20 International series in South Africa, the BCCI announced on Sunday (January 28). Uncapped in T20Is, Mumbai pacer Shardul Thakur too has been called-up while statemate Shreyas Iyer has been left out.
Raina last played a T20I for India against England in February last year and has been out-of-flavour since failing the Yo-Yo test, now mandatory criterion for selection. The Uttar Pradesh star, however, cleared the test prior to the announcement of the squad for the preceding ODI series in South Africa.
Since clearing the test, Raina has been in prime form in the shortest format. He was UP’s highest run-scorer, and sixth overall, in the just-concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament with 314 runs, including two fifties and an unbeaten 126 against Bengal, at a strike-rate over 146.
Opener Shikhar Dhawan also returns to the 16-man squad after being rested for the previous T20I series, against Sri Lanka at home in December last year. Washington Sundar, Deepak Hooda, Basil Thampi and Mohammad Siraj are the players dropped, apart from Iyer, from that squad.
Virat Kohli, who was rested for the limited-overs series against Sri Lanka at home, returns as captain.
After losing the Test series 1-2 to South Africa on Saturday, India will next play a six-match ODI series against the hosts. The T20Is will played in Johannesburg (February 18), Centurion (February 21) and Cape Town (February 24).
India’s squad for T20I series
Virat Kohli (C), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni (wicketkeeper), Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, Manish Pandey, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Jaydev Unadkat, Shardul Thakur.
. Uncapped in T20Is, Mumbai pacer Shardul Thakur too has been called-up while statemate Shreyas Iyer has been left out.){kind=link}