In an interesting development, India's men's selection committee has officially added Suryansh Shedge as a replacement for Nitish Kumar Reddy in the Indian squad for the upcoming Ireland and England tour. Nitish Kumar Reddy was facing some discomfort in his left quadriceps after the conclusion of the third ODI against Afghanistan on June 20. After a thorough medical evaluation, the BCCI Medical Team has advised a rehabilitation period, which means he will miss both T20I series.  

However, it was a special moment for Suryansh Shedge, who earned his maiden call-up for the senior team after his brilliant performance in the recently concluded white-ball series against Sri Lanka A. The 23-year-old, who bats in the middle order, racked up 147 runs over five matches.

Also Read: Big Break for Suryansh Shedge as He Gets India Call-Up for Ireland and England Series 

Suryansh Shedge is still not able to process the emotions after his selection. In a recent interview with The Times of India, the 23-year-old said that he is still not able to sink in. 

In an interview with TOI, Suryansh Shedge said: 

“Actually, I still can't sink it in, and I think I won't be able to sink it in until I get on the flight! I still can't believe it! This has been my dream since childhood. And obviously, it's a very special feeling. And I feel very proud and happy for my parents (Prashant and Priyadarshini), because of the sacrifices they have made for me. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't have been able to be a cricketer.”

It is a like-for-like replacement for a pace-bowling all-rounder. For this opportunity, he expressed his gratitude towards his coaches and well-wishers who have helped him in his journey. 

He further said: 

“The way Manish Bangera, Jatin Paranjape, and Monty Desai have helped me through my journey is very heartwarming because they truly believed in me. If the environment is such that everyone knows my capabilities, and if they keep telling me constantly (about my abilities), self-belief comes automatically. So, that helped me a lot.”

India will play a two-match T20I series against Ireland starting on June 26, followed by a five-match T20I series starting from July 1st.