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Shivam Dube And...? 3 Indian Players Who Might Be Dropped For 1st T20I Vs Bangladesh

India will face Bangladesh in the 1st T20I on Oct 6 [Source: @AkshayTadvi28/X]India will face Bangladesh in the 1st T20I on Oct 6 [Source: @AkshayTadvi28/X]

After securing a convincing two-nil victory in Tests, India are preparing to take on Bangladesh in a three-match T20I series starting this Sunday. Led by Suryakumar Yadav, the Men in Blue will be hoping to sustain their dream run in the shortest format when they face the Tigers in the series opener in Gwalior. 

As expected, India rested a few key players, including Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant, for the Bangladesh T20Is. While the country's latest fast bowling sensation Mayank Yadav received his maiden call-up, ace spinner Varun Chakravarthy was recalled following his IPL exploits. 

However, given that the hosts have a number of players fighting for limited spots, a few notable names might warm the bench in the first T20I in Gwalior. So, as the Men in Blue gear up for the high-voltage clash, let's see which players might miss out on selection for this affair. 

Shivam Dube

Prominent batting all-rounder Shivam Dube is known for his hard-hitting prowess in the middle overs. The southpaw also played a pivotal role in India's recent T20 World Cup triumph, scoring an impactful cameo in the final against South Africa. 

However, despite his impressive outings for the national side, Dube might not feature in the first T20I, as he is in the squad as Hardik Pandya's backup. Although his inclusion would certainly strengthen India's firepower, it won't be surprising if the hosts prefer Washington Sundar ahead of him so that they have five genuine bowling options, apart from Pandya, in their line-up. 

Mayank Yadav

Mayank Yadav's sensational bowling performances in the IPL 2024 grabbed a million eyeballs. The seamer emerged as Lucknow SuperGiants' trump card in several matches, impressing everyone with his searing pace. 

But with Hardik Pandya giving India a quality third seam-bowling option, the hosts might pick a spin-heavy squad for the first T20I against Bangladesh. While Ravi Bishnoi and Varun Chakravarthy will likely feature in the playing XI, Washington Sundar might be included as India's spin-bowling all-rounder in Axar Patel's absence. So, Mayank could find himself warming the bench if India consider naming three pacers, including Pandya, for the Gwalior face-off. 

Jitesh Sharma

Another Indian player who might not play the first T20I is Jitesh Sharma. The explosive right-handed batter is an asset with the bat, as he can effectively counter both pace and spin bowling. However, considering Sanju Samson will open the batting, the experienced Kerala batter might also keep the wickets. This will, in turn, shut the door for Jitesh, with Rinku Singh playing as India's first-choice finisher alongside Hardik Pandya.