The selection committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) convened in Mumbai on Saturday to finalize the squad for the forthcoming five-match T20I series against England. The committee made several significant selections, including the return of veteran fast bowler Mohammed Shami to the team after a 14-month absence, and the inclusion of Dhruv Jurel as the backup wicketkeeper to the primary choice, Sanju Samson. However, the selection process also resulted in notable omissions, as Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, and Yashasvi Jaiswal were not included in the squad.

Rishabh Pant, who was previously India's first-choice wicketkeeper across all formats and played a key role in the T20 World Cup last year, has seemingly fallen behind in the selection hierarchy, with Samson, who scored consecutive T20I centuries last year, now favored for the role.

In contrast, Shubman Gill, who captained India in their first T20I series following the World Cup in June 2024 and served as Suryakumar Yadav's deputy in the subsequent series against Sri Lanka, was unexpectedly left out. The selectors surprised many by appointing Axar Patel as the new vice-captain.

Pant, Jaiswal, Gill rested

A report from the Times of India indicates that the three players have been given a break from the T20I series following their demanding participation in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia. This decision is made with the anticipation that they will be available for the upcoming ODI series against England, which is set to commence next month, as well as the forthcoming Champions Trophy.

A source informed TOI that "Pant, Jaiswal, and Gill have been rested from this series to ensure they can fully recuperate after the intense five-Test Border-Gavaskar series in Australia, in preparation for the ODIs against England and the Champions Trophy in February."

Additionally, fast bowler Mohammed Siraj has also been rested to manage his workload following the Australian campaign. Meanwhile, Mayank Yadav has been excluded from the series due to a back injury that previously caused him to miss the T20I series against South Africa last year.

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