IND vs BAN | Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill released to play Mushtaq Ali T20, KS Bharat called-up

With Saha doing an excellent job behind the stumps, it makes no sense for Pant to while away without getting playing time under his belt, and the same goes for Gill. Pant will now be available to feature for Delhi in their next two Super League matches against Haryana and Rajasthan, while Gill will be playing for Punjab’s matches against Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

"Rishabh will be playing all the six matches (3 T20s and 3 ODIs) against the West Indies. The selectors thought it's only prudent that he goes and plays in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for Delhi," a senior BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

Meanwhile, Bharat, who has been a regular feature for India ‘A’ in red-ball matches has finally been rewarded for his consistent performances during the last two seasons. The 26-year-old has scored 3,909 runs in 69 first-class games with eight centuries and 20 half-centuries.

"I played the first pink-ball match in Lucknow when it was introduced in the Duleep Trophy in 2016," Bharat told PTI on his way to the airport from Visakhapatnam.

"I got a call and was asked to join the team in the morning. I am looking forward to sharing the dressing room with my idol Virat Bhai. Wriddhiman is one of the best wicket-keepers of the current era. I'm hoping to learn a lot from them. Too excited," Bharat added.