Shivam Dube Ruled Out of Bangladesh T20I Series with Back Injury; Tilak Varma Named Replacement
New Delhi: India’s preparations for the upcoming T20I series against Bangladesh have suffered a major setback with the news that star all-rounder Shivam Dube has been ruled out due to a back injury. The three-match series is set to commence on Sunday in Gwalior.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed Dube’s unavailability in a social media post, stating that he will miss the entire series. The board also announced that left-handed batter Tilak Varma has been named as his replacement.
Dube’s injury is a significant blow to the Indian team, as he has been a key contributor in the T20I format. In 33 T20I appearances for India, he has amassed 448 runs and claimed 11 wickets.
It is understood that Dube’s back injury resurfaced during training in Mumbai prior to the Bangladesh series. Despite traveling to Gwalior, the pain persisted, causing discomfort during training sessions.
The 21-year-old Varma, who has played 16 T20Is for India, will join the squad in Gwalior on Sunday morning. He has scored 336 runs and taken two wickets in the shortest format of the game.
Varma’s inclusion in the squad is a testament to his impressive performances for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL). However, he has recently been sidelined due to an injury, which prevented him from being selected for the T20I series against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka.
With Dube’s absence, India will have to rely on other all-rounders in the squad, such as Hardik Pandya and Washington Sundar. The team will also be hoping that Varma can make a quick impact and fill the void left by Dube.
