IND vs SA 2022: 3 players who earned their spots in the T20 squad
On Sunday, the All-India Senior Selection Committee named an 18-man squad for the forthcoming five-match T20I series between India and South Africa, which begins on June 9.
With several senior players being rested, KL Rahul has been assigned the skipper for the side, with keeper Rishabh Pant serving as his deputy.
A couple of fresh faces in Umran Malik and Arshdeep Singh have been added to the setup. For the first time since the ICC T20 World Cup last year, all-rounder Hardik Pandya has returned to international cricket as well.
18-member #TeamIndia squad for the upcoming five-match Paytm T20I home series against South Africa.
#INDvSA @Paytm https://t.co/tK90uEcMov
Apart from this, Dinesh Karthik has also found a place in the roster following his impressive showing in the ongoing IPL 2022. While there have been a few names who missed out on a possible berth in the Indian squad, the selectors have more or less picked players who were part of the last two T20I series for India.
Among the 18-selected players, quite a number of individuals have put in consistent performances to earn a much-deserved call-up to the Indian setup.
On that note, let's take a look at the three players who earned their way to the Indian team for the T20I series against the Proteas.
#3. Arshdeep Singh
Arshdeep Singh is a superstar in end overs. https://t.co/FDaxEvpDuJ
A lanky left-arm pacer from Punjab, Arshdeep Singh has earned his maiden national call-up for India. For the last two years, the 23-year-old has been a regular fixture for his IPL franchise, Punjab Kings (PBKS).
He produced his career-best season in IPL 2021, taking 18 scalps in 12 games, which led to him being retained by PBKS ahead of IPL 2022.
The left-armer has repaid the faith shown in him by his franchise this year. Arshdeep bowled difficult overs for his side without much of a fuss. While he has no more than 10 wickets to show in 14 IPL outings this season, Arshdeep's impactful performances did force the selectors to take notice of him.
The Guna-born pacer was one of the best death bowlers in the league stage of IPL 2022, leaking runs at just 7.7. His ability to bowl the change-ups, along with wide yorkers and deliveries in the block-hole, earned him a place in the squad.
Arshdeep was also with the Indian team as a net bowler in the away series against Sri Lanka last year.
#2. Umran Malik
cricket team.
Congratulations Umran Malik for selection in 🇮🇳 cricket team. https://t.co/fL0o7O6nID
Similar to Arshdeep, Umran Malik was also retained ahead of the IPL 2022 season. However, while PBKS' Arshdeep is more of a mid-130s bowler, Malik is known for his vicious pace. The tearaway pacer from Jammu and Kashmir can clock 150+ kmph consistently and has already bowled the fastest-ever delivery by an Indian (157 kmph).
Despite playing just three IPL games prior to this season, Malik was one of the most exciting Indian talents to watch out for. The SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) right-armer, under the mentorship of Dale Steyn, has been one of the finds of the season.
With 22 wickets in 14 outings, the 22-year-old is the highest wicket-taker among uncapped bowlers. His spells for SRH have had batters hopping, fans cheering and pundits calling for his inclusion in the Team India squad.
While his economy of over nine in the IPL 2022 isn't something to boast about, it should be understood that Malik is still in the early days of his career and will only improve from here.
#1. Dinesh Karthik
Many had written off Dinesh Karthik's chances of returning to the Indian team after he last played for them in 2019.
However, Karthik, who has been vocal about his desire to represent the national team again, put in spectacular performances with his new IPL franchise, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), this campaign. Karthik stamped his authority on IPL 2022 and has been one of the best finishers this season.
Karthik has scored 287 runs in 14 matches so far at an incredible average of 57.4. His strike rate of 191.3 is also the best in the league among batters who have scored 200+ runs.
Over the course of IPL 2022, calls for him to be selected as a finisher for the Indian team grew louder. Karthik bailed RCB out of trouble on several occasions and was a major factor in the team clinching the fourth spot in the IPL 2022 points table.
Considering his immaculate hitting prowess and willingness to take his game to the next level, it's fair to say that Karthik's inclusion in the Indian team is a much-earned call.