Sanju Samson replaces KL Rahul in India's T20I squad for West Indies series

KL Rahul was earlier named in the squad and his participation in the T20I series was subject to fitness. The batter tested positive for COVID-19 last week and has been advised rest by the BCCI medical team. Sanju Samson was part of the squad in the recently concluded ODI series that the team won 3-0.

Sanju Samson was named as KL Rahul's replacement in India's T20I squad for the five-match series against the West Indies starting Friday. “The All-India Senior Selection Committee has named wicket-keeper batter Sanju Samson as a replacement for KL Rahul in the T20I squad for the ongoing West Indies series,” BCCI said in a statement hours before the first T20I in Trinidad.

India's Sanju Samson (Action Images via Reuters)

KL Rahul was earlier named in the squad and his participation in the T20I series was subject to fitness. The batter tested positive for Covid-19 last week and has been advised rest by the BCCI medical team.

Sanju Samson was part of the squad in the recently concluded ODI series that the team won 3-0. He had also scored a half-century in the second ODI to help India chase down the 312-run target in Trinidad. The rest of the Indian squad remains same with all the regular barring Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah returning to the fold.

With Rahul ruled out, Ishan Kishan is likely to open with Rohit Sharma for starters with Rishabh Pant taking the gloves. With Dinesh Karthik playing the finsiher's role, it is unlikely that Samson will get a game in the first few matches of the series.

India’s squad for 5 T20Is: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Shreyas Iyer, Dinesh Karthik, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, R Ashwin, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh.