India's squad for Hong Kong Sixes confirmed; Dinesh Karthik to lead, R Ashwin pulls out
Dinesh Karthik will lead a band of senior and a few retired Indian players in the lightning-quick tournament, Hong Kong Sixes, which could last from anywhere between 2-5 matches for a team. India will begin their campaign against Pakistan on Friday, November 7.
The former Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik will be leading India's 7-man squad at the Hong Kong Sixes tournament. Karthik, who is still active in all three departments - playing, coaching and commentary - last played competitive cricket in January in the SA20 for Paarl Royals and will be getting back to some fast and rapid cricket, while reuniting with some of his former Team India mates, including Robin Uthappa and Stuart Binny.
Former India off-spinner R Ashwin pulled out of the tournament due to a knee injury, after having been announced as one of the first two members of the squad initially. Ashwin will miss not just the Hong Kong Sixes, but also the Big Bash League ahead of his maiden stint in the tournament. Ashwin had revealed that during his preparation for the BBL, he injured his knee in Chennai and had to undergo a procedure, which required him to rest for a couple of months and hence, was ruled out of both the Hong Kong Sixes and the T20 league Down Under.
Shabaz Nadeem, the former India left-arm spinner replaced Ashwin in the squad. Priyank Panchal, Abhimanyu Mithun and Bharat Chipli completed the rest of the squad.
Since the BCCI doesn't allow any of their active players, whether contracted or not, to play in the franchise tournaments or various other leagues and hence, the squad comprises mostly retired players. This is why India haven't done well in the tournament, having won the competition just once in 20 editions, that too back in 2005.
India will be up against Pakistan in their first Group C encounter on November 7, followed by the second game against Kuwait the very next day. The top two teams from each of the four groups will qualify for the quarter-finals. The tournament is scheduled to take place from November 7-9.
India's squad for Hong Kong Sixes: Dinesh Karthik (C), Bharat Chipli, Stuart Binny, Robin Uthappa (wk), Abhimanyu Mithun, Shahbaz Nadeem, Priyank Panchal