 "IND vs ENG: Dube to replace Reddy for T20 series, according to reports")
The Indian cricket team started their first white-ball assignment of 2025 in style last Wednesday, when they beat England by 7 wickets in the first match of the five-T20 series in Kolkata to take a 1-0 lead. However, things have started to take a wrong turn for the Suryakumar Yadav-led side ahead of the second T20 in Chennai on Saturday. After opener Abhishek Sharma twisted his ankle during a practice session on Friday, another teammate has reportedly joined the injury list and is likely to be sidelined for the rest of the series.
The player in question is India’s newest sensation, Nitish Kumar Reddy, who became an integral part of the team following his brilliant performance against Australia in the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy. With Reddy set to miss the remainder of the T20 series against England, Shivam Dube, who was part of India’s T20 World Cup-winning squad last year, is reportedly set to join the squad as his replacement.
Dube's return to the squad
Mumbai all-rounder Shivam Dube is poised to make a return to the Indian squad for the final three T20 International matches against England, following an injury to rising star Nitish Kumar Reddy. Reddy is expected to miss the games due to an unspecified injury, paving the way for Dube to rejoin the team. Dube is anticipated to link up with the squad before the third T20I in Rajkot on January 28.
A long road back
Dube, who last represented India in the series against Sri Lanka in July 2023, had been sidelined due to a back injury. After undergoing rehabilitation, he recently made his return to domestic cricket. Although his first-class comeback was less than ideal, with a "pair" (duck in both innings) against Jammu and Kashmir, there were still positives to take from his performance, despite the frustrating outing.
Also Read
Impressive T20I stats
The 31-year-old all-rounder has been a regular feature in India’s T20I squad in the past, having played 33 T20Is. In these matches, Dube has accumulated 448 runs at an impressive strike rate of nearly 135. Additionally, his medium-pace bowling has proven valuable, as he has taken 11 wickets in T20I cricket. Despite the recent setback in his first-class return, Dube’s all-round abilities and past performances have kept him firmly in the selectors’ plans for the upcoming series against England.
(With PTI inputs)