What's the story?
India U-19 sensation Shubman Gill and all-rounder Vijay Shankar are set to replace Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul after the selectors were forced to name the replacements after the duo were suspended due to their derogatory remarks on an Indian talk show.
Rahul and Pandya have been at the center of a massive controversy after their remarks on talk show caused a furor in the country. The duo has been suspended and will take no part in India's limited-overs series against Australia and New Zealand.
While Gill will join the squad only for the New Zeland tour that comprises of five ODIs and three T20Is, Vijay will be joining the squad ahead of the second ODI against Australia at the Adelaide Oval.
19-year-old Gill has had a meteoric rise. After winning the 'Player of the tournament' award in last year's U-19 World Cup in New Zealand, the Punjab batsman landed up with the contract by the Kolkata Knight Riders and has backed it up with superlative performances in the 2019 Ranji Trophy season. He is the leading run-scorer for Punjab in the ongoing Ranji Trophy season, having scored 728 runs in five matches at an average of 104 which includes four half-centuries and two hundred. Overall, in 36 List A matches, Gill has scored 1529 runs at an average of 47.78.
Shankar comes in a like-for-like replacement for Hardik Pandya. The all-rounder, who made his last international appearance for India in last year's Nidahas Trophy, is coming off a hugely successful stint during India A's tour of New Zealand smashing 188 runs at an average of 94 in three matches.