India vice-captain KL Rahul and all-rounder Axar Patel have been ruled out of the T20I series against West Indies in Kolkata. Rahul sustained an upper left hamstring strain during fielding in the second ODI against West Indies on Wednesday while Axar has resumed the final stage of his rehabilitation after recently recovering from Covid-19. “They will now head to the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru for further management of their injury,” stated an official Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) release.
The All-India Senior Selection Committee has named Ruturaj Gaikwad and Deepak Hooda as replacements. Team India is currently facing West Indies in the third ODI at Narendra Modi Stadium on Friday. The hosts have won the first two matches of the three-match series and have taken a lead by 2-0.
The three-match T20I series will kick start from February 16 in Kolkata.
India’s T20I squad: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Yuzvendra Chahal, Washington Sundar, Mohd. Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Deepak Hooda.