Shahrukh Khan added to Team India squad for 1st ODI vs West Indies
Hard-hitting Tamil Nadu batter Shahrukh Khan has been added to the Team India squad for the first ODI against West Indies in Ahmedabad on Sunday. As reported earlier, Ishan Kishan has also been added to the squad.
India suffered a blow ahead of the ODI series as Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer and Ruturaj Gaikwad tested positive for COVID-19. All three, along with a few members of the support staff, are in isolation. Since the infected players have to complete a seven-day isolation period and return two negative tests, the chances of Dhawan, Shreyas and Gaikwad featuring in the one-dayers are very slim.
Releasing an official statement, the BCCI revealed that Ishan and Shahrukh have been added to the Team India squad for the first ODI against West Indies.
26-year-old Shahrukh has been in scintillating form for Tamil Nadu in domestic cricket. He smashed an unbeaten 33 off 15 in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2021-22 final to stun Karnataka. The right-hander slammed three sixes in his innings, including one off the last ball, to pull off an incredible win for Tamil Nadu.
NEWS - Ishan Kishan and Shahrukh Khan added to squad for 1st ODI.
More details here - bcci.tv/articles/2022/… #INDvWI https://t.co/I5jqVp3BQf
Shahrukh also had an impressive Vijay Hazare Trophy 2021-22. He hammered 253 runs in eight matches at an average of 42.16 and a spectacular strike rate of 186.02.
Updated squad for the 1st ODI: Rohit Sharma (captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, Ishan Kishan, Shahrukh Khan.
Rohit Sharma confirms Ishan Kishan as Team India’s opener for 1st ODI
Even before the BCCI announced the addition of Ishan to the Team India squad for the first one-dayer, skipper Rohit confirmed at a virtual press conference that the left-hander will open on Sunday.
Explaining the situation in the COVID-hit Indian camp, the captain said:
“Ishan is the only option that we have and he will open. Mayank was added in the squad but he is still in isolation because he came late. We have some rules in place where if a player is traveling and coming we have to put them into quarantine. He has still not finished his quarantine, so Ishan will open the innings tomorrow.”
A special message from #TeamIndia captain @ImRo45 for our #BoysInBlue ahead of the #U19CWC 2022 Final against England U19 👍 👍
#INDvENG https://t.co/L6RZaAdOlF
23-year-old Ishan has played two ODIs and five T20Is for India so far. He registered fifties on debut in both formats.