PUNJAB DOMINATES INDIAN ODI SQUAD: SHUBMAN GILL TO CAPTAIN AS NAMAN DHIR AND GURNOOR BRAR SECURE BERTHS; MAIDEN CALL-UP FOR NAMAN

PCA PRESIDENT AMARJIT MEHTA CONGRATULATES ALL THREE PLAYERS, TERMS THE SHER-E-PUNJAB LEAGUE AN UNQUALIFIED SUCCESS

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Three Punjab players have earned selection in India’s 15-member squad for the upcoming home ODI series against the West Indies. Opening batsman Shubman Gill has been handed the captaincy, with pacer Gurnoor Brar and all-rounder Naman Dhir also making the cut. This marks the maiden call-up to the senior national side for Naman Dhir, who was rewarded by the national selectors following a breakout all-round performance with both bat and ball in the Sher-e-Punjab T20 League.

Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) President Amarjit Singh Mehta extended his congratulations to the trio, praising Dhir’s selection while highlighting the pivotal role of the state tournament. Mehta noted that the Sher-e-Punjab T20 League proved to be a resounding success, effectively showcasing Punjab’s cricketing depth and talent to the broader sporting world. He described the tournament as the country’s biggest state league, noting that it provided Dhir the exact platform needed to earn national recognition.

Mehta underscored that having three Punjab cricketers feature concurrently in the Indian ODI squad is a matter of immense pride. Much like Punjab’s historical dominance in Indian hockey, Mehta stated the association’s ultimate goal is to see Punjab produce the highest share of players for the national cricket team, asserting that the PCA will firmly work to sustain this presence.

Mehta further expressed his gratitude to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for its sustained support of the PCA. He shared optimism that Punjab will soon supply the largest representation of domestic players in the IPL as well, adding that the entire PCA management team and coaching staff deserve credit for the milestone and will continue backing their homegrown talent.

India’s ODI Squad: Shubman Gill (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul (Vice-Captain, WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Mohammed Siraj, Auqib Nabi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Naman Dhir.