The two games will help India’s think tank pick the core group of players for the T20 World Cup in Australia later this year and the lineup for the three games against a potent England next month.
When Hardik Pandya makes his eagerly anticipated international captaincy debut against a star-struck Ireland in a two-match T20 series that starts here on Sunday, India’s fringe players, including a struggling Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sanju Samson, will have one more chance to shine before the seniors’ return.
After his heroics in leading Gujarat Titans to IPL 2022 victory in their inaugural season, Pandya was selected as the stand-in skipper when Rishabh Pant joined the Test side in England. After KL Rahul withdrew due to a groin injury in their most recent T20I series at home against South Africa, Pant took over as captain.
First T20I between India and Ireland
Once, on June 26, 2022 (Sunday)
Where: Dublin’s The Village
Nine o’clock IST
Team India News
Over the previous 24 months, injuries, scheduling conflicts, and workload management have caused India to assign captaincy responsibilities to an excessive number of players. Expectations will be high for Hardik given his success with the Gujarat Titans and his addiction to that list for the one-time Ireland series.
Rahul Dravid, the head coach of India, will be directing the Test team’s preparations in England while NCA chief VVS Laxman will stand in for him. Laxman is likely to follow the example established by his former teammate.
The two games will give the think tank more clarity in deciding on the starting lineup for the three games against a formidable England team next month as well as the core set of players for the T20 World Cup in Australia later this year.
Dravid showed his steady attitude in the home series against South Africa and kept the team together through all five games despite dropping the first two. Before the fifth game was abandoned, the Pant-led team came back to even the score at 2-2.
Sanju Samson and Deepak Hooda now have a chance to play in the series when Pant and Shreyas Iyer join the Test team in the UK.
Samson, who has had numerous opportunities to establish himself in the T20 system, may find that this is his last chance.
Suryakumar Yadav will reenter the lineup after recovering from a wrist injury, and he is most likely to bat at number three or four.
Ishan Kishan will be attempting to consolidate on his outstanding performance against South Africa, which helped him win the position of reserve opener.
His opening partner Gaikwad will come under pressure because he appeared uncomfortable in the previous series against top-notch quick bowling.
With the predicted favorable conditions for the fast bowlers, India’s pace phenom Umran Malik and yorker specialist Arshdeep Singh, who patiently warmed the bench against South Africa, could finally get their big break.
Team Ireland News
With all due respect, Ireland is not expected to exert as much pressure on India as South Africa did, allowing the guests greater room for experimentation. The series against powerful India gives Irish athletes the chance to acquire international notice.
Uncapped In the team coached by Andrew Balbirnie, Stephen Doheny, and Conor Olphert have received their first calls to duty. Balbirnie believes India is still a very potent team despite the absence of senior players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah.
“Any Indian squad you play these days will be a good team. The fact that India can have two teams kind of demonstrates the depth of Indian cricket. We simply don’t have the numbers for it, therefore we couldn’t put out a Test side and a T20 team at the same time, ” Balbirnie remarked prior to the first game of the series.
Entire Squads
India’s roster includes the following players: Hardik Pandya (captain), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sanju Samson, Suryakumar Yadav, Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Dinesh Karthik, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshal Patel, Aves
Andrew Balbirnie (captain), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Stephen Doheny, Josh Little, Andrew McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Conor Olphert, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, and Craig Young are the players for Ireland.