Credits: BCCI/X
Left-arm seamer Yash Dayal reportedly replaced Khaleel Ahmed in India’s reserves pacers list for Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. There have been reports that Ahmed returned home due to an unspecified niggle. Notably, Dayal was added in the Test squad during the Bangladesh series and was later included in the squad for South Africa T20Is but didn’t play a single match. India will be up against Australia in a five-match Test series, the Border Gavaskar Trophy, set to begin on November 22 in Perth.
Ahmed was a part of the reserves list along with Mukesh Kumar and Navdeep Saini. According to reports by PTI, Dayal flew directly from Johannesburg to Perth after Khaleel developed a niggle and was unable to bowl in the nets. The medical team advised the left-armer to rest and hence it was decided that Khaleel would come back home while Dayal would fly to join the rest of the squad.
If Khaleel can’t bowl, there was no point of keeping him: Sources
A BCCI source close to the development told PTI that Dayal was originally supposed to play the A Test but was included in the squad for T20Is against South Africa. He said, “It was a like-for-like replacement because the Indian team needs to do simulation for Mitchell Starc. Dayal was originally supposed to play the A Test but was sent to South Africa. If Khaleel can't bowl then there was no point of keeping him back.”
There is no update or clarity of Khaleel playing the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20 tournament matches before the auction as he has been released by Delhi Capitals and he would like to enjoy a bidding war among franchises. On the other hand, Dayal is one of the retentions by Royal Challengers Bengaluru for IPL 2025.
