HE'S BACK!

Dhawan, Bumrah return from injuries; Rohit rested for SL T20Is

by Cricbuzz Staff • Last updated on

Bumrah has been out of the squad since August because of lower-back stress fracture. © AFP

Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah and opener Shikhar Dhawan have been drafted back into the India squad for the two upcoming home series - three T20Is vs Sri Lanka (from January 5) and three ODIs against Australia (from January 14). Rohit Sharma, who has enjoyed a phenomenal 2019 across all formats, has been afforded rest in the first series of the new year - against Sri Lanka. As was the case in the previous limited-overs series since the 2019 World Cup, MS Dhoni continued to be absent from the squads picked.

Squad for Sri Lanka T20Is: Virat Kohli (c), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer,Manish Pandey, Sanju Samson, Rishabh Pant (wk), Shivam Dube, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav,Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Navdeep Saini, Jasprit Bumrah, Washington Sundar

Squad for Australia ODIs: Virat Kohli (Capt),Rohit Sharma (vc), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul,Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal,Kuldeep Yadav, Navdeep Saini,Jasprit Bumrah,Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Shami

A lower-back stress fracture had kept Bumrah out of action since the completion of India's tour of West Indies in August, where he starred with 13 wickets in two Tests. He missed the home assignments against South Africa and Bangladesh - which involved Tests and T20Is. After a lengthy rehabilitation, Bumrah is now back to full fitness, and even bowled in the nets before India's ODI against West Indies in Visakhapatnam.

Dhawan, who had missed more than half of the 2019 World Cup with a thumb injury, returned to action in West Indies and played the home series against Bangladesh too, before suffering another setback last month. Dhawan suffered a deep cut to his knee while putting in a full-length dive to get back to the crease in a Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament, and needed multiple stitches. He has now recovered from that layoff, returning to both the T20I and the ODI sides.

While Dhawan takes Rohit's spot in the T20I squad, Bumrah walks in, in place of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who missed the West Indies ODIs because of a groin injury and will be absent from the two upcoming series as well. In the ODI squad, Dhawan's return means Mayank Agawal - who came in as the left-hander's replacement against West Indies - goes out.

Bumrah comes in for Deepak Chahar, who has now been sidelined until April 2020 due to a stress fracture to his lower back. Kedar Jadhav, who scored 40, 16* and 9 in the games against West Indies, has retained his place in the squad.

© Cricbuzz

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