BCCI announces squads for New Zealand series and first two Tests against Australia; Cricket Twitter baffled

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Friday announced the squads for the white-ball series against New Zealand along with the first two Tests against Australia. Both series will be hosted by India.

The New Zealand series will start with the first ODI on 18 January. On the other hand, the Aussies will tour India in February for a four-match Test series.

The white-ball squads have seen a number of modifications as the board is looking to experiment with the combinations.

Also, limited-over specialists Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan received their maiden call-up to don the whites, while young batter Prithvi Shaw has been called-up for the three-match T20I series against the Kiwis. Notably, Shaw is making a comeback to the international circuit after a long wait of 537 days. He last wore the Indian kit in July 2021 in a T20I series against Sri Lanka.

India’s squad for NZ ODIs:
Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, KS Bharat (wk), Hardik Pandya (vc), Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umran Malik

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 13, 2023

India’s squad for NZ T20Is:
Hardik Pandya (C), Suryakumar Yadav (vc), Ishan Kishan (wk), R Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Y Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik, Shivam Mavi, Prithvi Shaw, Mukesh Kumar

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 13, 2023

Alongside Kishan, 29-year-old wicketkeeper-batter KS Bharat has earned a place in the red-ball unit in the absence of Rishabh Pant. However, surprisingly, Sanju Samson has again been ignored from all formats.

Batter KL Rahul and all-rounder Axar Patel will be absent during the entire New Zealand series owing to “family commitments,” the BCCI has clarified.

Ravindra Jadeja has been called up for the first two Tests against the Aussies but his availability is still subject to fitness.

India’s squad for first 2 Tests vs Australia:
Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul (vc), Shubman Gill, C Pujara, V Kohli, S Iyer, KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), R Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Suryakumar Yadav

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 13, 2023

Senior batter Virat Kohli and all-formats designated captain Rohit Sharma have been rested in the T20Is against the Black Caps. They will join the unit in the 50-over format. Hardik Pandya continues to be the interim skipper in the shortest format in the absence of Rohit. Speedster Jasprit Bumrah remains sidelined due to injury issues.

After the squads were announced on BCCI’s official Twitter, a lot of reactions started coming from Indian fans. While some fumed at the exclusion of Samson, there were users who raised questions regarding the future of Kohli and Rohit in the 20-over format. Moreover, the return of Prithvi Shaw unquestionably delighted his supporters.

A fan was left surprised after not finding the name of Sanju Samson in any of the squads. He wondered, Why are they doing it again and again with Sanju Samson? He has done nothing wrong. They should tell the reason.

Why are they doing it again and again with Sanju Samson?????

He has done nothing wrong

They should tell the reason!!!#sanjusamson #ShikharDhawan #INDvsSL #SLvsIND #INDvsAUS #JusticeForSanjuSamson #INDvNZ #NZvIND #INDvSL

— manindar chauhan (@sarthak74074110) January 14, 2023

So, it’s end of Sanju Samson’s career.

— Avinash Aryan (@AvinashArya09) January 13, 2023

The constant exclusion of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the T20Is made a fan question the selection.

Again 2 most senior players @imVkohli
and @ImRo45 are missing from T20 Team as India announced their squad for the ODI and T20I series against New Zealand at home.

Is it game over for both?#India #ViratKohli #RohitSharma #INDvsNZ
PC: @Cricketracker pic.twitter.com/NMBpMYsF0J

— Shakeel Khan Khattak (@ShakeelktkKhan) January 13, 2023

A person was left baffled as he queried Suryakumar and Kishan’s inclusion in the test squad, especially over proven Ranji’s performances.

Why the players are getting selected in test on the basis of t20 performance ?
How can Sky and Ishan Kishan be in the test squad ahead of Abhimanyu Eswaran, Sarfaraz Khan, Upendra Yadav, Prithvi Shaw, Yashasvi Jaiswal ?
Ranji performances are getting ignored by selectors @BCCI

— Gautam Sihag (@igautamsihag) January 14, 2023

Here are some other reactions:

Sanju Samson not picked in Indian Cricket Team Squad For NZ Series. Is he Still Injued Or Selectors again Overlooked him. pic.twitter.com/CMe0Akg4RQ

— Ayush Ranjan (@AyushRaGenius) January 13, 2023

Why is Sanju Samson always ignored?? Instead of jitesh Sharma, include him in T20… Is there a quota system in selection??

— Jagan (@jaganns67) January 14, 2023

Prithvi is back, make him Play in 11 . He’s super star@PrithviShaw

— Paramveer dewal (@Paramdewal) January 14, 2023

Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan get Test nod; Prithvi Shaw in T20I theatre

— Cricket Nights (@cricket_nights) January 14, 2023

Looks like the Selectors would have lost their jobs if they had not included Prithvi Shaw now!

— E.R. Ramachandran (@ERRamachandran) January 14, 2023

@BCCI tum pehle ye clear kro ki @imVkohli aur @ImRo45 ab se t20i me hai ki nahi ?
Agr o nahi rahenge to hm bs odi aur test hi live dekhenge ….
But as a cricket fan t20i ka score kbhi kabar jrur chup chup ke dekhenge…

— T!RUP∆T! J∆DH∆V 17 (@Khiladii17) January 13, 2023

India will square off against New Zealand in the opening ODI of the three-match series on 18 January at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad.

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