AGENCIES
NEW DELHI
Mahendra Singh Dhoni will be a doubtful starter against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup Twenty20 International opener after the Indian skipper suffered a muscle spasm in a training session on Monday.
The extent of the injury is not yet known but the Board of Control for Cricket in India has named wicketkeeper-batsman Parthiv Patel as cover for the Indian captain. He will soon join the team in Bangladesh.
"India ODI and T20I captain MS Dhoni has suffered a muscle spasm in the back during a training session today in Dhaka," BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur said in a statement. "The All-India Senior Selection Committee has named Parthiv Patel as the back-up wicketkeeper for the upcoming Asia Cup, 2016. He will join the team in Dhaka at the earliest."
There was also mystery surrounding young pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who did not train on the first day. "Parthiv has been summoned as precautionary measure," team's media manager Nishant Arora said.
As far as Bumrah is concerned, he is "little under the weather and advised rest today".
The 30-year-old left-handed wicketkeeper-batsman, Parthiv Patel plays for Gujarat in the domestic circuit, and has had a good season at home, hitting a century each in Vijay Hazare and Deodhar Trophy tournaments. Patel, who last played for India in an ODI against Sri Lanka in the tri-series at Brisbane, Australia in 2012, had recently expressed a desire to return to the national team, saying he's always motivated to play for India.
