cricket

Updated: Feb 17, 2019 09:47 IST

Young India wrist-spinner Mayank Markande expressed happiness after receiving his maiden India call-up on Friday. Markande was included in the 15-member India squad for the upcoming two-match T20I series against Australia starting February 24.

Markande has been in sublime form recently and it was only fitting that he was named in the Indian squad on the same day he fired India A 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.

Also Read: Chief selector Prasad gives reason why Pant replaced Karthik in ODI squad

“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.

Chief selector MSK Prasad said Markande will be used as a back-up spinner to the regular India tweaker Yuzvendra Chahal and all-rounder Krunal Pandya. Chinaman Kuldeep Yadav wasn’t named in the Indian T20I squad against Australia.

“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 became a household name following his eye-catching performances for Mumbai Indians in Indian Premier League (IPL) last season. Markande scalped 15 wickets in 14 matches and was subsequently retained by the franchise for the upcoming season.

Also Read: Kohli returns to take charge, Rahul included in both teams as Karthik is dropped from ODIs

“Sharing the Indian dressing room with Rohit Sharma will be special. He had motivated me a lot during the IPL. I always kept talking to him. He is a legend of the game now so I always try to learn as much as possible from him,” Markande said.

India’s T20I Squad: Virat Kohli(Capt), Rohit Sharma (vc), KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik, MS Dhoni (WK), Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Vijay Shankar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav, Sidharth Kaul, Mayank Markande

India’s ODI squad for first two ODIs: Virat Kohli (Capt), Rohit Sharma (vc), Shikhar Dhawan, Ambati Rayudu, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni (wk), Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohamed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Vijay Shankar, Rishabh Pant, Siddharth Kaul, KL Rahul

India’s ODI squad for final three ODIs: Virat Kohli (Capt), Rohit Sharma (vc), Shikhar Dhawan, Ambati Rayudu, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni (wk), Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Vijay Shankar, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant