The team management has decided to send them back to let them get some game time in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
As many as three fast bowlers have been released from the travelling reserves ahead of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024/25. They were part of India A tour of Australia A and have been with the main team in the nets, even though none of them were included in the main squad.
According to TOI, Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, and Yash Dayal will no longer remain with the Indian team after management has decided to send them back to let them get some game time in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Dayal wasn’t part of the travelling reserves initially, but Khaleel Ahmed was unfit in Perth, prompting the management to fly him to Australia.
However, he didn’t play any games on the A tour and has already flown back to India as he prepares to feature for Uttar Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Meanwhile, Mukesh Kumar played both A games and was travelled everywhere with the Indian team but now partner Mohammed Shami in Bengal.
Navdeep Saini played one game against Australia A and was with India in Brisbane, but he will be back home with Mukesh and play for Delhi. It is a wise move since they were in the travelling reserves, and India already have several main bowlers and throwdown specialists for the tour.
Meanwhile, Devdutt Padikkal, who stayed in Australia after the A tour, was released from the Test squad to participate in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024/25. He was a cover for Shubman Gill, who injured his thumb before the first Test and batted at No.3 in the Perth Test.
However, he couldn’t make a significant impact as he scored a duck in the first innings and 25 runs in the second dig. Since Gill recovered before the second Test, India don’t require his services now.
Padikkal was impressive on the A tour in Australia, which tempted the team to choose him as Gill’s backup. He will play for Karnataka in the domestic competition.
The Vijay Hazare Trophy will start on Saturday (December 21) and run until January 18. Several first-choice Indian players will feature in the competition.
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