Chief selector MSK Prasad explained the reason why wicket-keeper Mahendra Singh was included in India’s T20I squad against New Zealand. The All-India Senior Selection Committee announced the squad for Australia ODIs and also for ODI & T20I series against New Zealand, on Monday.
After missing the T20I series against Windies and Australia respectively, Dhoni returned into the squad for New Zealand T20Is. Meanwhile, young wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant has been dropped from India’s ODI squads against Australia and New Zealand respectively.
“With regard to MS (Dhoni), we categorically told that he is going to be rested for those six matches so that we can give more time to Dinesh Karthik and Rishabh Pant. So that is the very reason and now they have played quite a few matches so we thought we should now bring back Dhoni into the squad,” Prasad told reporters in Melbourne.
“With regard to Rishabh (Pant), the intensity in which we are playing right now after this series we want to keep him fresh and give him a break. He will have a very good game time 5 ODIs against the visiting England Lions,” he added.
India are scheduled to play three ODIs against Australia and then, the ‘Men in Blue’ will lock horns against the Kiwis in five ODIs and three T20Is.
