"It was inevitable": Harsha Bhogle gives his verdict on Prithvi Shaw

Prithvi Shaw has made a return to the India squad for the upcoming T20I matches against New Zealand.

The Mumbai-batter last played for India in July 2021 and since has been in exile. But a fantastic run in the Ranji Trophy this season has earned him a place back in the international fold.

Shaw has batted in a blistering way this season in the domestic circuit. He scored 332 runs in the Mushtaq Ali Trophy at a monstrous strike rate of 181. The player has backed that up with 539 runs already in the Ranji Trophy. He scored 379 runs against Assam in the last match, which is ranked 2nd in the all-time highest scores list in the domestic tournament.

And commentator and pundit Harsha Bhogle has given his verdict on the return of Prithvi Shaw.

"The return of Prithvi Shaw to the T20 team was inevitable. Will be interesting to see if the team management is game to play him ahead of Gaikwad & Gill," Bhogle wrote on his Twitter account.

Shaw's inclusion in the team only looked like a matter of time after all his heavy scoring in the domestic circuit. The explosive batter has been racking up runs, dismantling oppositions with the bat and it is only a deserved present for his amazing run of performances.

The Indian selectors also made a surprise inclusion as Suryakumar Yadav was picked for the first two Tests against Australia. Suryakumar's T20 form is unmatched, as the player has toppled every other player in that format. But it will be interesting to see him in the longest format of the game. And Bhogle believes getting into the team will not be a cakewalk.

"Sky is an interesting inclusion in the test team. Did well for Mumbai this year but unless India go in with only 4 bowlers, I don't see him breaking in just yet. I really do hope that Jadeja plays a Ranji Trophy match before the series because he has been away for too long," he added.

The pundit also believes that the upcoming IPL will have monumental impacts on the careers of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Harshal Patel, after the duo was ignored for the New Zealand series. Bhogle 'fears' the pair will have to perform at their best in the IPL to get a route back to the national side.

India's assignment against the travelling Kiwis starts on January 18. India will play 3 ODIs and 3 T20Is against them before the four-match Test series against Australia.