Suryakumar, Shaw in as BCCI announce updated squads
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has confirmed the availability of Suryakumar Yadav and Prithvi Shaw for the England tour. India will be play a series of five Tests, with the first match starting from 4 August.
Both players are currently in Sri Lanka, and they will depart to the UK at the earliest. While Shaw was named Player of the Match in the first ODI, Suryakumar was adjudged Player of the Series. He also top-scored in the first T20I.
Avesh Khan and Washington Sundar were ruled out of the England tour after enduring injuries in the practice match in Durham. Avesh bowled 9.5 overs before hurting his fingers while trying to stop a ball. Abhimanyu Easwaran, who was a standby, has moved to the main squad.
Liton Das miss T20I series versus Australia
Liton Das has ruled himself out of the upcoming T20I series versus Australia, owing to personal reasons. Das had missed the last two matches of the T20I series against Zimbabwe after enduring a thigh injury.
Bangladesh are already without Tamim Iqbal, who is nursing a knee injury. Tamim is unlikely to be available before the ICC T20 World Cup. Mohammad Naim and Soumya Sarkar will be opening the innings against Australia.
The first T20I of the five-match series will be played on 3 August. Australia are currently in West Indies, where they will play the last ODI on 27 August.
Iyer likely to be available for IPL’s UAE leg
Shreyas Iyer has resumed training at a local cricket academy in Mumbai under the guidance of Pravin Amre. Iyer had missed the first half of the IPL 2021 due to injury, but is confident of making a comeback for the UAE leg.
Iyer will undergo a fitness test at National Cricket Academy in Bangalore. If the NCA gives the green light, Iyer will soon fly to the UAE to join his IPL franchise Delhi Capitals.
The UAE leg will kickstart on 19 September. Delhi will square off against Sunrisers Hyderabad on 22 August to resume their campaign. It remains to be seen whether Iyer regains the captaincy band or Rishabh Pant continues to lead the team.
Only four T20Is to be played in West Indies-Pakistan series
Instead of the originally planned five T20Is, the series between West Indies and Pakistan will now consist of only four matches. After a support staff tested positive for Covid-19, the ODI series between West Indies and Australia got delayed by a day.
The first T20I between West Indies and Pakistan will be played on 29 July. Here is the new schedule:
July 29: 1st T20I, Bridgetown
July 31: 2nd T20I, Providence
August 1: 3rd T20I, Providence
August 3: 4th T20I, Providence
August 12-16: 1st Test, Kingston
August 20-24: 2nd Test, Kingston