India vs Bangladesh 1st T20: Suryakumar Leads Team

In the first T20 International of the three-match series, the Indian cricket team, led by Suryakumar Yadav, will face Bangladesh at the Shrimant Madhavrao Scindia New Cricket Stadium in Gwalior on Sunday, October 6.

With priority given to the ongoing Test series against New Zealand, several key players like Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mohammed Siraj, and Axar Patel have been rested from the T20 series.

Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya are the standout names in the current squad. However, Shivam Dube, who was ruled out of the series on the eve of the first T20, has been replaced by Tilak Varma.

In the batting lineup, Abhishek Singh will open the innings alongside Sanju Samson, followed by Suryakumar Yadav, Riyan Parag, and Hardik Pandya. On the eve of the match, captain Suryakumar confirmed that Sanju Samson will take up the second opener’s role.

In the spin department, Ravi Bishnoi is likely to be partnered with either Varun Chakaravarthy or Washington Sundar, with Sundar possibly gaining the edge due to his effective bowling during powerplays. “Having more than one quality spinner in the team is a happy headache to have,” Suryakumar remarked during a pre-match press conference.

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While Suryakumar didn’t disclose the final playing XI, he did confirm that fast bowler Mayank Yadav is fully fit and ready for the game. “It’s a great opportunity for the young players. They have consistently performed well for their states and IPL franchises. There’s nothing new for them to prove here. Mayank is an X factor, he brings extra pace, and the BCCI is working on managing such talents carefully. We need to nurture players like him. He’s a special talent and fully fit right now,” Suryakumar said when asked about Mayank’s potential debut.