Pace sensation Umran selected for T20Is vs SA; Hardik in shortest format,Pujara in Test earn recalls
New Delhi, May 22: Jammu and Kashmir pace sensation Umran Malik on Sunday earned an expected call-up in the Indian team for the upcoming five-match T20 International home series against South Africa starting June 9.
Umran has picked up 21 wickets in 13 games for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL but it's his ability to bowl consistently at 95 miles per hour that has caught the imagination of all and sundry with calls for his immediate selection in top-flight cricket.
Along with Umran, Punjab Kings' death overs specialist Arshdeep Singh has also earned his maiden national call-up.
As reported on July 14 by PTI, regular captain Rohit Sharma, star batter Virat Kohli, pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami have all been rested for the white-ball series in which Rishabh Pant will be the vice-captain.
Rohit, Kohli, Bumrah, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja will all fly to England on June 15 for the one-off Test against England at Edgbaston from July 1-5 and will be joined by Cheteshwar Pujara, who has earned a recall to the 17-member Indian Test team after a stupendous show in English County Championship for Sussex.
Ditto for all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who has successfully led new franchise Gujarat Titans into IPL play-offs and has been consistent with the bat, besides bowling a few overs at brisk pace.
Umran pips Mohsin among bowlers but Tripathi misses out
While former players and experts have all spoken in unison about Umran's selection in the national team, it wouldn't have been a cakewalk had Lucknow Super Giants pacer Mohsin Khan been fully fit.
While Umran has 21 wickets (before Sunday's game), most of which came in the first phase when batters were getting used to his pace, it is understood that the selectors were far more impressed with Uttar Pradesh left-armer Mohsin, who has 13 wickets from 8 matches at an astounding economy rate of 5.93 compared to Umran's 8.93 in 13 games.
However, Mohsin's dodgy hamstring made the decision easier for Chetan Sharma's committee, which also picked Arshdeep especially for his death overs bowling for Punjab Kings.
Arshdeep bowls at early to mid 130's and has only 10 wickets in 13 games (before Sunday's game) but his ability to bowl the change-ups along with wide yorkers and deliveries in the block-hole has earned him a place in the squad.
Arshdeep was with Indian team as net bowler in an away series against Sri Lanka last year while Umran was in the UAE, assisting the national team during T20 World Cup.
The selectors more or less picked up players who have played in last two T20I series for India with Dinesh Karthik, at 36 years of age and 18 years after he first played for India, making his umpteenth comeback.
Karthik's inclusion will certainly put Rishabh Pant under a bit of pressure as both are designated middle-order finishers unlike third keeping option Ishan Kishan, who is a specialist opener. As per indication in the team sheet, Karthik is second keeper and Ishan is a pure batter.
If there was one player, who would feel a bit let-down, it has to be Rahul Tripathi, who, before Sunday, had scored 393 runs at a strike-rate of above 160 and had three fifty plus-scores to his credit.
Tripathi, who has been consistent in the IPL, may get his chance sometime during the season but he might feel hard done by, considering Suryakumar Yadav was left out due to hand injury.
Hardik back in the mix, Venkatesh remains back-up
In the case of Hardik Pandya, it was never a question of how he will make a comeback for one of India's guaranteed game-changers but as to when that recall will come.
The Gujarat Titans skipper scored 413 runs in 13 games at a strike-rate of 131-plus but more importantly bowled nearly 25 overs (24.3 overs), which is around a couple of overs per game.
He worked up good pace, got a few wickets but more importantly will give Rohit a sixth bowling option going into the World T20 in Australia.
India's spin department for the T20I series also looks menacing with three wrist spinners -- Kuldeep Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi and Yuzvendra Chahal -- in the mix along with left-arm orthodox Axar Patel.
Pujara back in Test squad after bagful of County runs
The 34-year-old Pujara scored 720 runs in five Division two games for Sussex, which included two double hundreds and two hundreds, which forced the selection committee to give him a call-up for the 'fifth' Test of the last series. The squad doesn't have any new face from the one that was picked last year.
Prasidh Krishna, who had been drafted into the Test squad during the course of last series, is back while KS Bharath is now the official second keeper in Tests after 37-year-old Wriddhiman Saha was shown the door earlier this year.
Shreyas Iyer and Hanuma Vihari, who have done well for India in the little chances that they got, are there.
India's Test squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain) Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rishabh Pant (wk), KS Bharat (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Mohd Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Prasidh Krishna.
India's T20I squad: KL Rahul (Captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan, Deepak Hooda, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (vice-captain)(wk), Dinesh Karthik (wk), Hardik Pandya, Venkatesh Iyer, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik.
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UP Cong holds statewide protest seeking probe into FIR against Swami Avimukteshwaranand
Lucknow (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh Congress on Wednesday staged a statewide protest demanding a fair and transparent inquiry into the FIR lodged against Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati and those who filed the complaint against him.
In a statement issued here, the party said memorandums addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi were submitted through district magistrates in all districts of the state.
Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Manish Hindvi told PTI that the memorandums were handed over through the district administration in all 75 districts.
In the memorandum, the party alleged that Saraswati and his disciples were "unnecessarily harassed and humiliated" by police on the occasion of Amavasya and were prevented from taking a ritual bath (at the Magh Mela). It further alleged that some disciples were manhandled and taken to a police station.
The memorandum also claimed that an FIR was later registered against Saraswati, his disciple Swami Mukundanand Brahmachari and several unidentified persons in a sexual harassment case. It termed the case a "conspiracy" aimed at tarnishing the seer's reputation.
Citing Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution, the memorandum stated that these provisions guarantee religious freedom and the right of religious denominations to manage their own affairs.
It described the position of shankaracharya held by Saraswati as "one of the highest spiritual posts in Sanatan tradition" and alleged that the entire episode appeared to have been "orchestrated in a planned manner".
"We request that the background of the persons who got the FIR registered be investigated in a transparent manner by a retired high court judge and strict action be taken against them," the memorandum said.
It also sought a "fair and transparent probe" into the allegations levelled against Saraswati so that the truth could be established.
Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai had told reporters in Varanasi after meeting Saraswati that the party stood firmly with him.
The Congress said it would continue to press for an impartial inquiry into the entire episode.
On February 21, an FIR was lodged in Prayagraj against Saraswati and his disciple Mukundanand Brahmachari on charges of sexually abusing two persons, including a minor, over the past year at a gurukul and religious congregations, including the recently concluded Magh Mela.
Days after he was booked, Saraswati had said on Monday that he would not oppose his arrest and asserted that the "fabricated story" would be exposed sooner or later.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Saraswati alleged that criminals rule in Uttar Pradesh, level allegations and influence investigations, as he denied having any contact with the two persons for whose alleged sexual abuse he has been booked.
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