"I was hoping I could do well enough to stay back" - Devdutt Padikkal after joining India squad for BGT 2024-25
Karnataka batter Devdutt Padikkal has been drafted into the Team India squad as a player ahead of the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25 (BGT 2024-25). An announcement video of the same was posted by the BCCI (Board for Control of Cricket in India) on their official social media accounts.
Padikkal, who was recently a part of the India A side touring party that played two unofficial Tests against Australia A, had good numbers to show for at the end of the series. The southpaw scored 151 runs across four innings, which included a knock of 88 runs off 199 balls in the second innings of the first game.
Padikkal has been added to the BGT 2024-25 squad as an extra batter to cover following the injury scares to KL Rahul and Shubman Gill, the latter being ruled out of the first Test. This will be his second assignment with Team India, after making his debut earlier this year in the fifth Test against England at Dharamshala.
In a video released by the BCCI, Padikkal had the following to say:
"Feels pretty surreal to be very honest. The intensity of the practice sessions is really high. You feel that challenge, you feel that everyone is ready and raring to go for a big series ahead. Always been a pleasure to have training sessions with the Indian side and it feels as big as a match. Hopefully, we can translate it into the game as well.
"Coming here for the A tour, I, somewhere at the back of my head, was hoping that I do well enough to get the opportunity to stay back. I am glad that I'm getting this opportunity and hopefully, I make it count."
Take a look at the video below:
Yash Dayal replaces Khaleel Ahmed in the traveling reserves for BGT 2024-25
Royal Challengers Bengaluru pacer Yash Dayal has joined the touring party for BGT 2024-25 as a traveling reserve. He replaces Khaleel Ahmed, who complained of knee pain and was unable to bowl in the nets.
The left-arm medium pacer has picked up 84 wickets in 27 first-class matches at an average of 28.78, also claiming nine wickets in a match once. He had picked up 15 wickets in 14 matches in the 2024 IPL, at an economy of 9.15
The 17th edition of the Border Gavaskar Trophy kicks off tomorrow, November 22, at the Optus Stadium, Perth. India are the current holders of the trophy, having beaten Australia 2-1 in a four-match series back in 2023.