Shubman Gill, currently a reserve player with the Indian team for the T20 World Cup, is likely to be heading home after Men in Blue's matches in the US are finished, as reported by Cricbuzz. Not just Gill, another reserve player, Avesh Khan, might also return after India's T20 World Cup match against Canada on June 15 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Both Gill and Khan are currently in Florida, having travelled with the team from New York on a chartered flight on Wednesday, June 12. This charter was arranged for both teams after their match at Nassau County International Stadium on Long Island earlier that day.
Shubman Gill and Avesh Khan's travel plans were only for the US leg of the T20 World Cup, unless there are emergencies. They joined the team as reserves because getting a replacement from India to the US or Caribbean quickly in case of injury wouldn't be easy. They might be needed to stay longer if a player gets hurt during practice on June 14 or the match on the 15. However, bad weather in Florida might see a potential schedule change in the ongoing T20 World Cup, if it gets to that scenario. Additionally, India has another opener, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and might rely more on spin bowlers in the Caribbean, making an extra pacer less necessary.
The original reserves announced with the World Cup squad on April 30 were Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, and Avesh Khan. However, there's a chance Rinku and Khaleel could stay on with the team and travel to Bridgetown, Barbados for India's first Super 8 match on June 20. The remaining Super 8 games are in Antigua on June 22 and St Lucia on June 24. If India advance, the semi-final will be held in Georgetown, Guyana on June 27, with the final back in Bridgetown on June 29.
Notably, India, South Africa, and Australia are the first teams to qualify for the Super 8 stage of the T20 World Cup! India secured their spot by beating the co-hosts, USA. Australia and South Africa had already qualified earlier.
An interesting twist: thanks to pre-determined seedings, India (A1) and Australia (B2) will face each other in the Super 8 stage on June 24th, regardless of their final positions in their groups.
India's T20 World Cup squad
Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj
Reserves: Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan
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