Gwalior, October 5: Pace prodigy Mayank Yadav is set to make waves in the upcoming three-match T20 series against Bangladesh, starting on Sunday. Known for consistently clocking speeds above 150 kmph during his IPL debut earlier this year, the 22-year-old has caught the attention of the cricketing world. His IPL season was cut short due to a side strain, but now Yadav has been fast-tracked into the national squad, bypassing the usual route of proving fitness in domestic cricket.
The series will test Mayank’s fitness, control, and ability to replicate his IPL form on the international stage. Alongside Yadav, fellow Delhi pacer Harshit Rana and all-rounder Nitish Kumar could also debut for India during the series. Nitish, previously selected for the Zimbabwe tour, missed out due to injury, while Harshit did not feature in the five-match series in Harare.
With key players such as Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mohammed Siraj, and Axar Patel rested to prioritize upcoming Test matches against New Zealand, the Bangladesh series offers a golden opportunity for India’s fringe players to make an impact. The squad will be led by Suryakumar Yadav, with Hardik Pandya as the vice-captain.
Among the younger players, Abhishek Sharma is likely to build on his strong performance in Zimbabwe, while Sanju Samson may open the batting alongside him. Riyan Parag, who has struggled to transfer his IPL 2024 form to the international stage, will have another chance to prove himself.
The series also marks the return of mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy, who was sidelined after India’s 2021 T20 World Cup campaign in the UAE. Ravi Bishnoi joins him as the other specialist spinner in the squad. Wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma, a player with limited international experience, will also be eager to get game time during the series.
This series will serve as an important audition for the players ahead of India’s four T20 matches in South Africa next month, with the main T20 regulars still unavailable due to the upcoming Australia Tests. The matches will also help IPL franchises evaluate Indian players ahead of the mega auction.
Bangladesh Begins Life Without Shakib Al Hasan
Bangladesh faces a challenging road ahead after the recent retirement of all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan from T20s and Tests. The team is now looking to the future, with Najmul Hossain Shanto stepping in as captain for the series. Shakib’s absence leaves a significant gap, but Bangladesh will look to veterans like Mahmud Ullah and promising talents such as Tanzid Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz to lead the way.
Though Bangladesh was outplayed in the recent Test series against India, the white-ball squad consists of largely fresh faces who won’t be carrying the burden of those defeats.
Gwalior Welcomes International Cricket After 14 Years
After a long hiatus, international cricket returns to Gwalior at the newly built Shrimant Madhavrao Scindia Stadium, which will host its debut international match on Sunday. The last international game in Gwalior was held in 2010, where Sachin Tendulkar famously scored a double century at the Captain Roop Singh Stadium. Despite some setbacks, including damage to a stadium wall caused by heavy rains, the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) has made all necessary preparations for the match.
Squads:
Bangladesh:
Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Parvez Hossain Emon, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmud Ullah, Litton Kumer Das, Jaker Ali Anik, Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Rakibul Hasan.
India:
Suryakumar Yadav (C), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Riyan Parag, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Mayank Yadav.
