Manchester: Uncapped wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson and leg-spinning all-rounder Karn Sharma were both included Tuesday in India’s 17-man squad for the five-match one-day series and lone Twenty20 against England. The 19-year-old Samson was a member of the India side that finished fifth at this year’s Under-19 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates earlier this year.
He was also India A’s top-scorer in the recent quadrangular one-day series in Australia, with 244 runs in seven innings at an average of more than 81. Karn will look to fill the vacancy caused by leg-spinner Amit Mishra’s absence due to a back injury, although Samson’s chances may well depend on whether India captain and wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni takes a break after what will have been an already lengthy tour for those players also involved in the ongoing Test series with England.
Another uncapped player in a squad that sees India looking to the defence of their 50-over world title in Australia and New Zealand next year is Dhawal Kulkarni. The seamer was included in the squad for last year’s ODI series with the West Indies but was sidelined with injury soon afterwards. All-rounder Stuart Binny, whose return of six wickets for four runs against Bangladesh in June was an Indian ODI record, has retained his place as have fast bowlers Mohit Sharma and Umesh Yadav.
But batsman Cheteshwar Pujara, a mainstay of the Test side, has been omitted after struggling in the ODI format with a meagre average of just over 10 in five matches. India beat hosts England in the final of last year’s one-day Champions Trophy tournament at Birmingham’s Edgbaston ground.
The first of five ODIs on the current trip will take place in Bristol, south-west England, on August 25, with the remainder of the series in Cardiff, Nottingham, Birmingham and Leeds before a lone Twenty20 international at Edgbaston on September 7 rounds off India’s ten-week tour of England.Thursday is due to see England and India start the third of five Tests, at Manchester’s Old Trafford, with the series all square at 1-1 after England’s 266-run win in Southampton last week.
India squad for one-day internationals and Twenty20 against England:
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt/wkt), Virat Kohli (vice-capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Stuart Binny, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Mohit Sharma, Ambati Rayudu, Umesh Yadav, Dhawal Kulkarni, Sanju Samson (wkt), Karn Sharma
Fixtures (all against England unless stated):
Aug 22: 50-over warm-up game v Middlesex, Lord’s
Aug 25: 1ST ODI, Bristol
Aug 27: 2ND ODI, Cardiff
Aug 30: 3RD ODI, Trent Bridge
Sep 02: 4th ODI, Edgbaston
Sep 05: 5th ODI, Headingley
Sep 07: T20, Edgbaston
