Former star wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik is set to lead India's squad in the upcoming Hong Kong Sixes tournament. Although Karthik remains active across various facets of cricket—playing, coaching, and commentary, he last competed professionally in January at the SA20 for the Paarl Royals.
Dinesh Karthik to lead India squad at Hong Kong Sixes
This tournament will mark his return to fast-paced, high-intensity cricket and offers a reunion with former Indian teammates, including Robin Uthappa and Stuart Binny. The event provides Karthik with a fresh opportunity to compete in a unique format alongside familiar faces.
R Ashwin ruled out due to injury
The Indian squad suffered a setback with the late withdrawal of former India off-spinner R Ashwin, who was initially one of the first two players announced for the team. Ashwin was forced to pull out of the Hong Kong Sixes, as well as his maiden stint in the upcoming Big Bash League (BBL), after sustaining a knee injury. He revealed that he injured his knee while preparing for the BBL in Chennai and required a medical procedure, necessitating a couple of months of rest. This injury unfortunately rules him out of both the Hong Kong Sixes and the T20 league in Australia.
Following R Ashwin's withdrawal due to injury, former India left-arm spinner Shabaz Nadeem was named as his replacement in the seven-man squad. The rest of the team is completed by Priyank Panchal, Abhimanyu Mithun, and Bharat Chipli. This India squad is composed predominantly of retired players, a direct consequence of the BCCI's long-standing policy: the board strictly prohibits any currently active Indian cricketer, regardless of their contract status, from participating in franchise or other international T20 leagues. This restriction is often cited as the primary reason for India's limited success in the tournament, as they have won the competition only once in 20 editions, with that victory dating back to 2005.
The Hong Kong Sixes tournament is scheduled to run from November 7 to November 9. India is placed in Group C and will kick off their campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan on November 7. Their second group match will take place the very next day, November 8, against Kuwait. Following the group stage, the top two teams from each of the four groups will advance to the knockout stage, which begins with the quarter-finals.
India's squad for Hong Kong Sixes:
Dinesh Karthik (C), Bharat Chipli, Stuart Binny, Robin Uthappa (wk), Abhimanyu Mithun, Shahbaz Nadeem, Priyank Panchal