Tamil Nadu cricketers Shahrukh Khan and Sai Kishore are set to miss the initial phase of the Ranji Trophy after being added to India’s white-ball squad as stand-by players for the upcoming West Indies series.
Team India are set to play three ODIs at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad from February 6 followed by the T20I series at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata from February 16. “Yes, Shahrukh Khan and Sai Kishore have been chosen as stand-bys for the series against West Indies. They will be entering the bubble,” sources within Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) told ANI.
“With them being named as stand-bys, they are set to miss the initial phase of Ranji Trophy for Tamil Nadu,” the source added.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah on Friday said the Ranji Trophy this season would be held in two phases, in which all the league-stage games would be held in the first phase.
Young batter Shahrukh Khan has been a revelation in the shortest format. India wicket-keeper batter Dinesh Karthik has also backed Shahrukh to do well for Team India in the near future.
“Shahrukh Khan (all-rounder) is knocking on the doors, he is very close and he is within touching distance. I have no doubt that when he gets the opportunity, he will do very well for Team India,” Karthik told ANI.
Meanwhile, India white-ball skipper Rohit Sharma made his return while spinner Ravi Bishnoi received his maiden call up India on Wednesday picked an 18-member squad for the upcoming ODI and T20I series against the West Indies.
India ODI squad: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (Vice-captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Surya Kumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan India T20I squad: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (Vice-captain), Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Washington Sundar, Mohd. Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Harshal Pate Stand-bys: Shahrukh Khan and Sai Kishore
