Hardik to lead India in 1st T20I vs England; regulars Rohit, Kohli and Bumrah to return from 2nd tie: Report

India and England are all set to lock horns in the fifth and final Test, part of the incomplete 2021 red-ball series, on July 1 in Edgbaston, Birmingham. As the series finale will take place from July 01 to 05, the white-ball regulars from the Test line-up won’t get enough time to rest and prepare for the three-match T20I series, which commences on July 07.

Thus, Hardik Pandya — who led India to a 2-0 series whitewash over Ireland in the shortest format on Tuesday (June 28) — will lead the Men in Blue in the T20I series opener versus England. As per a report in PTI, the players who were part of the Ireland series will play the opening T20I whereas regulars such as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja will turn up for India from the second and penultimate tie, to be held on July 10. The third and final T20I will take place on July 10, followed by three ODIs.

“The squad that played T20I series in Ireland will remain in the first T20I and then from the second T20I, all the stars (Rohit, if fit, Kohli, Bumrah, Pant, Jadeja) will make a comeback. Once, they are well rested, all of them will be a part of the regular white ball side but most of the players in Ireland will remain till the end of T20I series,” a source was quoted as saying by PTI.

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The Indian team management is keen on rotating players and resting them at regular intervals with the T20 World Cup set to be held in Australia, later this year. Thus, with not much gap between the fifth Test and three T20Is, Rohit & Co. will get some days off before the white-ball series versus England.