3 Indian cricketers who might be playing their last T20 World Cup
The BCCI recently announced India's squad for this year's T20 World Cup, and there were quite a few surprises.
Prominent names like Shreyas Iyer, Yuzvendra Chahal, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur and Shikhar Dhawan didn't make the cut for the 15-man squad, while youngsters like Ishan Kishan and Rahul Chahar were picked in their place. Former India captain MS Dhoni was announced as the mentor of the side, which also featured inexperienced talents like Varun Chakravarthy.
After this year's tournament concludes in the UAE, the focus will automatically shift to the 2022 T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to be held less than a year later in Australia. With the Indian Premier League (IPL) having one and a half seasons in this period as well, high-level T20 cricket won't be hard to come by.
Although most of the players in India's 2021 T20 World Cup squad are young and should be around when the next edition rolls around, a few might see their luck run out. Here are three Indian players who might feature in their last T20 World Cup later this year.
#3 Axar Patel - has played 12 T20Is for India
Axar Patel was a curious pick in India's T20 World Cup squad. Although the left-arm spinner has bowled economically for the Delhi Capitals in the IPL, he has neither picked up wickets often nor shown consistency in his batting.
Ravindra Jadeja, who has entered a new dimension of incredible all-round performances in the recent past, is leagues ahead of Axar. Nevertheless, the 27-year-old has found a place in India's squad thanks to his accuracy and the promise of a complete package.
When the 2022 T20 World Cup arrives, though, Axar may not be in India's plans. The edition will be held Down Under, where India won't need as many spinners as they've picked in the squad right now. Wrist-spinners will be essential to the Men in Blue's chances in Australia, and Axar - who essentially offers the same as Jadeja - might become a luxury they can't afford.
Axar has played only a handful of T20Is (nine wickets in 12 matches) despite making his debut in the format back in 2015, clearly indicating that he isn't close to becoming a regular member of the squad. He might play his first and last T20 World Cup in the UAE later this year.
#2 Mohammed Shami - has played 12 T20Is for India
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Another player who has played only 12 T20Is for India, Mohammed Shami, has been in and around the team much longer than Axar Patel. But the T20I format hasn't been kind to the pacer, who has scalped 12 wickets at an economy rate of 9.8.
Shami's variations - or lack thereof - have been his undoing in T20I cricket. Although he has bowled at a good clip and nailed the yorker often enough, the 31-year-old doesn't possess a repertoire of slower balls and cutters like the other premier T20 bowlers of the modern era do. Even in the current squad, he is expected to be behind Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the pecking order.
Shami has never been a regular T20I bowler for India. With players like T Natarajan, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Navdeep Saini, Mohammed Siraj, Avesh Khan and Prasidh Krishna in the mix, he may not be part of India's 2022 T20 World Cup squad.
#1 Ravichandran Ashwin - last played a T20I for India in July 2017
It seems blasphemous to even think about suggesting that Ravichandran Ashwin, who earned a deserved recall to the Indian T20I side for the first time in over four years, might not feature in the 2022 T20 World Cup. While it is a tough thought to process, it makes sense when you consider the factors that influenced the off-spinner's selection in the first place.
Washington Sundar has been one of the first names on the teamsheet since his T20I debut, but the young all-rounder suffered a finger injury ahead of the England Test series to be ruled out of the second half of IPL 2021. In his absence, India needed an off-spinner capable of bowling in the powerplay, causing them to turn to Ashwin.
But once Sundar is fit, will Ashwin be needed in the T20I side? Australia isn't the most friendly venue for finger spinners, and the 34-year-old doesn't offer enough with the bat to be considered a genuine all-rounder in T20s. Add to that the fact that Ashwin is rather injury prone for a spinner, and you have many signs hinting that his T20I recall might be shortlived.
Nevertheless, it's heartening to see Ashwin make a comeback in the India squad for T20 World Cup after so many years. He will be a key cog in the Indian bowling attack during this year's T20 World Cup.