IND vs AUS T20I series: Asian Games, IPL performers to be picked ahead of Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2023 stars

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IND vs AUS T20I series: IPL stars and players who impressed in the Asian Games 2023 will be preferred ahead of Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2023 performers when the selectors sit to pick the team for the five-match T20I series against Australia following the ongoing World Cup 2023.

As per reports, the likes of Riyan Parag, Abhishek Sharma and Suyash Sharma who starred in the recently-concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2023, will be considered only after discussions on those performing well in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The members of the India men's cricket team which won gold medal in Asian Games 2023, will also get preference. Going by the current report, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh and Tilak Varma would make a direct entry in the team. Sanju Samson and Axar Patel can also find a spot.

The likes of Avesh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Sai Kishore, Shivam Dube and Washington Sundar also look set to find a place in the squad. All these players were part of the Gaikwad-led Asian Games squad, and have done well in the IPL.

However, eyes will be on Assam captain Riyan Parag who set the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2023 on fire with his all-round performance. He scored 510 runs at an average of 85 and a strike rate of 182.79 to finish as the leading run-scorer in the domestic T20 tournament. He hit seven fifties in 10 matches and also picked 11 wickets.

The team is expected to be selected after India's World Cup 2023 semi-final match against New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday, November 15.

Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan can be the only two World Cup members to find place in the squad. Earlier reports had suggested that Suryakumar would be named captain.

Further, India's T20I captain Hardik Pandya who was ruled out of the World Cup 2023 due to an ankle injury, is unlikely to make a comeback before the South Africa tour. The first of the 3-match T20I series will be played on December 10 in Durban.

The India vs Australia T20I series will begin from Thursday, November 23 in Visakhapatnam. The fifth and final T20I will be played in Hyderabad on December 3. The second, third and fourth T20Is will be played on November 26 (Thiruvananthapuram), 28 (Guwahati) and December 1 (Nagpur).