Veteran India pacer Ishant Sharma, who had made himself unavailable for the Ranji Trophy league stage, is set to join the Delhi squad ahead of its opening match against Tamil Nadu on Thursday. However, Ishant will not be available for the tough showdown as he will be in five-day quarantine. He will be available for the second game against Jharkhand from February 24. The third Delhi match is against Chhattisgarh.
“Ishant is reaching today. He will be available from second game. It would have been better for the team if both the pacers were available from first game but their return is welcome and it will bolster the team,” a team source said. A senior official of the Delhi and Districts Cricket Association said that Ishant changed his mind after going unsold in the IPL auction.
“If he won’t even play Ranji Trophy, there is no reference available for any team to even remotely think of him. Even for national selectors to reconsider him, he needs to play. Had he got an IPL deal, he might have skipped,” the official said. Meanwhile, India U-19 captain Yash Dhull is likely to open alongside Dhruv Shorey in the opening game. “He is ready to open. He is in form and it is best that he is given an opportunity when he is doing well. There is little point in selecting him and not playing him,” the source added.
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