cricket

Updated: Feb 17, 2019 09:46 IST

Mayank Markande became the latest wrist spinner to make his way into the Indian cricket team as he was included in the squad for the upcoming T20 series against Australia.

Markande became a household name thanks to his performances for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) last season. The Punjab spinner claimed 15 wickets in 14 matches and was subsequently retained by the franchise for the upcoming season.

Chief selector MSK Prasad said that Markande will be used as a back-up spinner to the regular bowlers Yuzvendra Chahal and all-rounder Krunal Pandya. Chinaman Kuldeep Yadav wasn’t named in the squad.

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“We are looking at Markande as a backup spinner. We have been grooming him though India A process and today also he picked up a five-wicket haul. So, we want to look at him and he’ll be a backup spinner,” Prasad told reporters after announcing the squad.

Markande picked up five wickets for India A to guide his team to an emphatic win over England Lions.

Markande (5/31) spun a web around the visitors to bowl them out for 180 in the second innings on the third day of the four-day match. India A won the match by a huge margin of an innings and 68 runs to clinch the series.

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“Get a national call-up is the biggest achievement in a player’s career. To be honest I was not expecting this. I did not think I would get included the national set-up this early. I consider myself really lucky,” Markande was quoted as saying by Indian Express.

“My performances in the Ranji Trophy along with meaningful performances for India A must have been noticed by the selectors and I am really happy that they have given me a chance to prove myself,” he added.