Basil Thampi makes it to India T20 squad

Kochi: Kerala speedster Basil Thampi has been included in the India team for the three T20 internationals against touring Sri Lanka team scheduled for December 20, 22 and 24. The 24-year-old Perumbavur-native is part of the 15-member T20I squad that will be captained by Rohit Sharma in the absence of Virat Kohli, who has been rested.

Jasprit Bumrah is the senior-most in the pace-bowling unit selected for the format that also comprises Jaydev Unadkat and Hyderabadi Mohammed Siraj, who had made his debut against New Zealand last month. Since S. Sreesanth featured in India’s tour of England in 2011, no Kerala fast bowler has made it to the senior national squad.  But wicket-keeper batsman Sanju Samson played in the second T20I against Zimbabwe in Harare in July, 2015.

In July this year, Thampi had received his maiden call-up to the India-A squad, alongside Samson, for the tour of South Africa and he was retained in the ‘A’ side against visiting New Zealand in two unofficial 50-over matches in October. Since bagging the IPL Emerging Player award earlier this year, the right-arm medium pacer’s graph had been on the rise and his performances against Saurashtra and Haryana were instrumental in Kerala sealing the quarterfinal spot in Ranji Trophy for the first time in its history.