Harbhajan wishes Tripathi on earning maiden Indian team call-up

NEW DELHI: Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh extended good wishes to Sunrisers Hyderabad batter Rahul Tripathi, who earned his maiden Indian team call-up on Wednesday for the tour of Ireland.

Team India will be squaring off with Ireland for a two-match T20I series, starting from June 26 in Dublin.

Taking to his Twitter, Harbhajan wrote, "Congratulations @tripathirahul52 on your maiden call-up! Well deserved Also, would love to see @hardikpandya7 continuing his brilliant captaincy for #TeamIndia as well."

Congratulations @tripathirahul52 on your maiden call-up! Well deserved 👏🏻 Also, would love to see @hardikpandya7 continuing his brilliant captaincy for #TeamIndia as well. #INDvIRE

— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) June 15, 2022

The batter had a standout IPL season with SRH. In 14 games he played for his side, he scored 413 runs at an average of 37.55. He scored three fifties this season, with the best score of 76 and a strike rate of 158.23.

He was the second-highest run-scorer for his side. In his IPL career so far, the batter has represented now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant, Rajasthan Royals, Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad.

In his 76 IPL games so far, he has scored 1,798 runs at an average of 27.66. He has scored 10 half-centuries in IPL so far, with the best score of 93.

All-rounder Hardik Pandya will lead the side during the tour while pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar will be his deputy.

Batters Suryakumar Yadav and Sanju Samson will also make a return to the side.

India's T20I squad: Hardik Pandya (C), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (vc), Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sanju Samson, Suryakumar Yadav, Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshal Patel, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik.