All-rounder Hardik Pandya, who has been out since September due to an injury, has returned to the India squad for this month’s Twenty20 series against South Africa. Meanwhile, Shubman Gill will need to pass a fitness test to participate, the Indian cricket board (BCCI) announced on Wednesday.
Gill, who leads India in Tests and one-day internationals, sustained a neck injury last month during India’s first Test against South Africa. He missed the remainder of the two-Test series and the subsequent ODI series.
The 26-year-old, who has played 33 T20 matches for India, will require a fitness clearance from the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, where he is currently undergoing recovery.
Pandya showcased his fitness when he returned to domestic cricket on Tuesday, scoring 77 runs from 42 balls as he led Baroda to a seven-wicket victory over Punjab in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
Rinku Singh and Nitish Kumar, who were part of India’s T20 squad during the tour of Australia in October-November, have been excluded from the 15-man squad.
The five-match T20 series will commence on December 9 in Cuttack and conclude in Ahmedabad 10 days later.
India squad:
Suryakumar Yadav (Captain), Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma, Sanju Samson, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar.
