Hardik Pandya to lead India in Ireland T20Is, Rahul Tripathi earns maiden call-up

Hardik Pandya has been named the captain of the Indian team for the upcoming two-match T20I series against Ireland. Pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar, meanwhile, has been named his deputy for the series. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the squad for the series on Wednesday.

While Rishabh Pant, who will be with the Indian Test team during the Ireland series as it prepares for the Test against England, will remain absent for this series. In Pant's absence, Sanju Samson makes a return to the squad for the Ireland series.

Additionally, 31-year-old Rahul Tripathi earned a maiden international call-up for the series, thanks to his consistent performances in the 2022 Indian Premier League.

In a big relief for the Indian white-ball setup, Suryakumar Yadav also made a return to the squad as he recovered from a muscle injury he sustained during the IPL 2022. 

This will be Hardik Pandya's maiden stint as international captain, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar being named his deputy. The rest of the squad is largely similar to the one that is taking part in the ongoing five-match T20I series against South Africa.