Bhuvneshwar gets all-clear from NCA, picked in Uttar Pradesh squad

By Khurram Habib New Delhi, Jan 1 : Fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar was on Friday picked in the Uttar Pradesh squad for the first two matches of the T20 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy after making expected recovery from the thigh injury he suffered during the Indian Premier League (IPL), and rule him out for six months.
Interestingly, Bhuvneshwar was not picked in Uttar Pradesh’s initial list of 26 probables released on December 21 while Raina’s name was included.
The fast bowler will fly to Alur (Bengaluru) from Delhi on Saturday along with Suresh Raina while the other members of the team will leave separately.
Though the National Cricket Academy (NCA) has given all-clear to Bhuvneshwar to play in the tournament, Uttar Pradesh have picked as many as seven fast bowlers in a squad of 22, including seven standbys, to ensure sufficient back-up to the injury-prone India pace bowler should he suffer another injury.
Apart from Bhuvneswar, Mohsin Khan, Ankit Rajpoot, Shivam Mavi, Aaquib Khan, Mohit Jangra, and Purnank Tyagi are the other fast bowlers.
The BCCI has asked its affiliates to pick 20-member squads, Uttar Pradesh has picked two extra members in the squad.