Mayank Agarwal added to T20I squad for Sri Lanka series after Ruturaj Gaikwad is ruled out: Reports

Opening batter Mayank Agarwal has been added to the Indian T20I squad for the series against Sri Lanka after Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out due to injury, according to reports. The Indian team reached Dharamsala on Friday for the remaining two matches, which will be played back-to-back on Saturday and Sunday.

According to a report in Cricbuzz, Agarwal was rushed to Dharamsala as he was available to join the squad at short notice. The 31-year-old was among the Test players quarantining in Chandigarh. A BCCI source was quoted as telling the website:

"It was not difficult to send Agarwal in because it could easily a bubble-to-bubble transfer. He was in Chandigarh and he was immediately rushed.”

Earlier this month, the cricketer was also added to the one-day squad for the West Indies series after Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer and Gaikwad tested positive for COVID-19.

Team India captain Rohit Sharma revealed at the toss for the first T20I against Sri Lanka that Gaikwad was supposed to play the match but was ruled out due to a wrist injury. A BCCI release later informed:

"Ruturaj Gaikwad complained of pain in his right wrist, which is affecting his batting. He was unavailable for selection for the first T20I. The BCCI Medical Team is examining him.”

The 25-year-old, who has been in exceptional domestic form, featured in the third T20I against West Indies but was dismissed for 4.

Ruturaj Gaikwad joins Team India’s injury list

The elegant Maharashtra batter is the latest to join Team India’s growing injury list. Before him, pacer Deepak Chahar and middle-order batter Suryakumar Yadav were ruled out of the T20I series against Sri Lanka.

Chahar sustained a right quadriceps injury while bowling in the final T20I against the West Indies in Kolkata and limped off the field. Suryakumar suffered a hairline fracture during a fielding attempt in the same match.

Prior to Chahar and Suryakumar, KL Rahul and Washington Sundar suffered injuries during the ODIs against West Indies and are still recuperating.

India are 1-0 up in the three-match series against Sri Lanka. They won the first T20I by 62 runs as Ishan Kishan hammered 89 in 56 balls and Shreyas Iyer an unbeaten 57 off 28.