With Covid saga now hitting Indian cricket, the team management will have some tough time picking the playing eleven for tonight’s second T20I match. Eight key players: Hardik Pandya, Ishan Kishan, Krishnappa Gowtham, Prithvi Shaw, Suryakumar Yadav, Manish Pandey, Yuzvendra Chahal and Shikhar Dhawan are ruled out for the entire series as they were among the close contacts of Krunal Pandya who got infected with Covid-19. In such a scenario all the eyes will be on the team sheet as the situation has become dicey.
Krunal Pandya Moved to Separate Hotel As Entire Squad Tests Negative of Covid-19
Stalwarts including skipper Dhawan will be unavailable; therefore, a number of youngsters like Devdutt Padikkal, Ruturaj Gaekwad may get T20 debuts. Also in line for a debut could be young Chatan Sakariya who has impressed in IPL 2021. Chahal’s absence means Rahul Chahar and Varun Chakravarthy comes in. Sanju Samson will too get a sure-shot chance. Bhuvneshwar becomes the automatic choice for captain. This is our probable playing XI:
Devdutt Padikkal, Ruturaj Gaekwad, Nitish Rana, Sanju Samson (wk), Rahul Chahar, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakrawarthy, Bhuvneshwar Kumar(c), Deepak Chahar, Navdeep Saini and Chetan Sakariya.
Eight Close Contacts of Krunal Pandya Ruled Out for Entire Series; List Includes Skipper Shikhar Dhawan
Eight key players of Indian team, who were in close contact with Krunal Pandya, won’t be available for the entire T20 series; this even includes captain Shikhar Dhawan. According ‘Sports Tak,’ these players will be kept in isolation and won’t be available for the rest of the series which means the team management will have to scamper through the available options to form the new playing eleven that will take on the hosts tonight. India are 1-0 up but the list of players which are among the ‘close contact’ category raises concerns. Here are those names:
Hardik Pandya, Ishan Kishan, Krishnappa Gowtham, Prithvi Shaw, Suryakumar Yadav, Manish Pandey, Yuzvendra Chahal and Shikhar Dhawan.
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