Sangha to take place of Zampa in Australia's T20I squad for India series

Legspinner Tanveer Sangha will be taking the place of star spinner Adam Zampa for the start of the T20I series against India from October 29 onwards, with the latter unavailable due to personal reasons.

As per ESPNCricinfo, Zampa is set to welcome his second child with his wife Harriet. He missed the first ODI of the series due to travelling distances, but he featured in Adelaide, where he delivered a match-winning four-wicket haul. He also played in Sydney, going wicketless for 50 runs in 10 overs.

Zampa being out would be a massive blow to Australia as he is their key strike bowler and leading T20I wicket-taker with 131 wickets in 106 matches at an average of 21.38. On the other hand, Sangha has featured in seven T20Is, taking a four-fer against South Africa in 2023. He has taken 10 wickets in the format at an average of 24.90 and last featured in the format against India in late 2023. He represents the Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League (BBL).

Sangha snapped seven wickets in the India A series away from home for Australia A, and currently is reigning supreme in the One Day Cup with 10 scalps in four matches for New South Wales (NSW).

Sangha could form a spin pair with Matthew Kuhnemann.

Australia, as they prepare for the Ashes starting from November 21, are rotating their bowlers, with Josh Hazlewood featuring in the first two games, Sean Abbott featuring for just two games.

Mahli Beardman, the 20-year-old star from Australia's Under 19 World Cup 2024 winning batch, is part of the squad for games three to five and could make his T20I debut. Yet to make his first class debut, Beardman was the 'Man of the Match' of the U19 WC final against India, taking wickets of in-form batters Uday Saharan and Musheer Khan in his spell of 3/15.