Rahul to join India in New Zealand for T20Is: Reports
Team India cricketers Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul saw their ban being lifted on Thursday by the Committee of Administrators (CoA) pending Supreme Court hearing on February 5. These two cricketers had received a lot of flak (and were subsequently banned by BCCI) after their controversial remarks on Karan Johar's Koffee With Karan 6. Here are the latest developments.
The two players, who were suspended by BCCI before the first ODI of the series against Australia, weren't allowed to take part in any competitive match since. They missed the ODI series against Australia and were also not part of the first ODI against New Zealand. On Thursday, the BCCI confirmed that Pandya will join the team for the ODI series in New Zealand.
Rahul will not be flying to New Zealand at the moment. He is set to be part of the India A Squad for the last three one-day matches against England Lions. Reports state that Rahul will be drafted into the T20I squad versus the Kiwis once the ODI series gets over. India and Kiwis will play T20Is on February 6, 8 and 10.
It is crucial for Rahul to get some runs in the matches against England Lions at home. Some strong performances can help him stay focused and perform in New Zealand. Meanwhile, Pandya could feature for India in the third ODI versus New Zealand. He hasn't played any competitive cricket for India since his injury in the Asia Cup 2018 opener back in September 2018.
Pandya is expected to seal a spot in XI for the third ODI. He is touted to be an important player for the side in the upcoming ICC World Cup in 2019. And, India will want to give him enough game time before the tournament.
