Team India who is considered as a dominant force in international cricket, often finds itself juggling with roster changes due to injuries and tight schedules. As Team India wraps up its West Indies tour on August 13, the Men in Blue are already preparing for their next challenge. On August 18, India are set to engage in the first of a three-match T20I series against Ireland.
Historically, India's tours to Ireland have always presented fresh leadership opportunities. This upcoming tour marks the third since 2018, and intriguingly, India will witness its third different captain for the Irish battles. Past captains who took the reins include cricketing stalwarts Virat Kohli in 2018 and Hardik Pandya in 2022. As the team shifts its focus towards the Asia Cup, India has announced a second-string side. The major spotlight, however, will be on Jasprit Bumrah as he is poised to spearhead the Indian squad in T20Is for the very first time.
Bumrah's fitness is the talk of the town, especially as he's gearing up for the Asia Cup and the subsequent ODI World Cup. The series against Ireland might not hold immense significance from a competitive standpoint, but it showcases a first. India and Ireland are set to lock horns in a three-match T20I series, a departure from their usual two-match face-offs in previous encounters. Moreover, budding talents like Rinku Singh and Jitesh Sharma, fresh off their commendable performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL), are probable candidates for their maiden international caps.
Apart from fresh faces, the series will also witness the comeback of cricketers like Shivam Dube and Washington Sundar, who have been absent from the national setup. Team India, having recently faced a rare loss to the West Indies, their first in 7 years, will undoubtedly be under pressure to showcase their prowess against Ireland. Nevertheless, with the Asia Cup slated to begin on August 30, cricket enthusiasts and pundits alike will be keenly watching Team India's strategy and performance in the upcoming matches.
India squad for Ireland T20Is: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Yashasvi Jaiswal, TIlak Varma, Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar, Shivam Dube, Shahbaz Ahmed, Sanju Samson, Jitesh Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah (C), Ravi Bishnoi, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar, Avesh Khan.
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