Sanju Samson replaces KL Rahul in India's T20 squad for West Indies series

Source: Twitter

Indian wicketkeeper and batter Sanju Samson will be replace KL Rahul in the T20 squad for the West Indies series. Rahul was earlier named in the squad and his participation in the T20I series was subject to fitness. The batter tested positive for COVID-19 last week and has been advised rest by the BCCI medical team. Sanju Samson was part of the squad in the recently concluded ODI series that the team won 3-0.

Earlier, Rahul, who had been recovering at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru since flying to Germany for undergoing a sports hernia surgery in late June, had been named in the initial squad for the series on July 14, subject to fitness.

But after testing positive for Covid-19 on July 21, doubts grew over him being fit in time for the series against the West Indies and is now advised rest to recover from the infection. "KL Rahul was earlier named in the squad and his participation in the T20I series was subject to fitness. The batter tested positive for COVID-19 last week and has been advised rest by the BCCI medical team," added the BCCI.

Rahul has been out of competitive cricketing action since featuring in the IPL 2022 Eliminator on May 25 in Kolkata. His team, debutants Lucknow Super Giants, lost to Royal Challengers Bangalore by 14 runs at Eden Gardens.

Rahul was then named as captain for the five-match T20I series at home against South Africa in June. But a right groin injury on the eve of the first match in New Delhi ruled him out of the series. The sports hernia surgery in Germany meant that Rahul was ruled out of England tour too.

India`s first T20I against the West Indies will take place on Friday at the Brian Lara Stadium, followed by next two matches in St Kitts and last two games happening in Lauderhill, Miami, USA.

India`s squad for T20Is: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Shreyas Iyer, Dinesh Karthik, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, R Ashwin, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel and Arshdeep Singh