IND vs BAN: 3 Players That Gambhir Will Keep An Eye On During The T20I Series

Gautam Gambhir and Mayank Yadav [Source: @anjuydv,@mufaddal_vohra/x.com]Gautam Gambhir and Mayank Yadav [Source: @anjuydv,@mufaddal_vohra/x.com]

The Gautam Gambhir era has started brilliantly for Team India in Test cricket. The team recently completed a dominating clean sweep over Bangladesh in a two-match series. The action between the two teams now shifts to the shortest format of the game in international cricket. 

India will now host Bangladesh in a three-match T20I series. The first match of this series will be played on October 6 at Gwalior. India have named a few emerging stars in the team for the upcoming series, while players like Varun Chakravarthy are making comebacks in the set up. Here is a look at the Indian squad for the T20I series against Bangladesh - 

India T20I squad vs Bangladesh

Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Riyan Parag, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Mayank Yadav.

Gautam Gambhir will be particularly monitoring the performance and rhythm of a few players on this team. The management hopes that some of these players deliver to their potential and are able to groom them for the future. 

Here are three players who will be followed carefully during the T20I series against Bangladesh - 

3. Mayank Yadav

The young pacer impressed everyone during the IPL 2024. Mayank Yadav's pace with control, a rare feature among fast bowlers, impressed the general followers and critics alike. In the four matches he played in the tournament, Yadav picked up seven wickets, and the areas he hit were struggling even the best of the batters. 

Why grooming Mayank Yadav is essential?

Mayank Yadav was injured after the four matches and was ruled out of the tournament. This has been a problem with the Indian pacers. Over the years, India has failed to take care of its fast bowlers, and injury has often plagued the careers of the most promising pacers. Thus, Gautam Gambhir will keep an eye on this bowler's rhythm and fitness status. The Indian head coach will look at the promise in the bowler, judge his fitness, and get an idea of how his workload will be managed in the future. 

2. Nitish Kumar Reddy

The young Indian all-rounder played for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2024. During the tournament, Reddy established himself as an integral part of the team's plans. Nitish Reddy played very important knocks in the middle overs and also bowled some overs to reduce the stress on the main bowlers. Reddy scored 303 runs in 11 innings at a strike rate of 142.90 and also picked up three wickets in IPL 2024. 

How can Nitish Reddy be vital for Gambhir's plans?

In this short period, Gautam Gambhir has shown that he will stress on players who can contribute in multiple ways to the team's cause. Utility players are more critical to Gambhir than specialists. This is where Nitish Reddy becomes essential. He can be a crucial batter in the middle order and bowl a few important overs. Besides, he can be that pace bowling all-rounder in the future, for whom India has been striving for ages, an all-rounder who can maintain his fitness and perform in all game formats. 

1.  Harshit Rana

The young Indian pacer was one of the mainstays of KKR's brilliant performance in IPL 2024, which saw them win their third title. Harshit Rana led the KKR pace attack for most of the tournament and impressed the selectors with his wicket-taking abilities. In IPL 2024, Rana picked up 19 wickets in 13 matches at an average of 20.16 and an economy of 9.08.

How Harshit Rana can become Jasprit Bumrah's partner in the future?

The most impressive thing about Harshit Rana in IPL 2024 was his skills with the new ball. His ability to pick up early wickets and rock the opposition earned him a spot in the national team. India has a star pacer in their arsenal, Jasprit Bumrah, who is adept at bowling at all stages of a game. Alongside Bumrah, bowlers like Arshdeep Singh are gradually developing. However, Gambhir will keep an eye on Harshit Rana as a bowler for all stages. He would try and groom this young pacer as a weapon for all stages of a match.