England vs India, 2018: 5 players from India's squad in 2014 who were not included this time
The Indian cricket team will take on England in a three-match T20I series which begins today at Old Trafford in Manchester. Following the T20I series, the two sides will take on each other in a three-match ODI series as well.
The last time India toured England, they had a torrid time in the Test series. But they bounced back and won the ODI series 3-1, with the first ODI of the five-match series being washed out without a ball being bowled. However, they lost the only T20I which they played by three runs.
There were a few players back in 2014 who played a big role in India's success in the ODI series. However, due to certain circumstances, they are not included in the squad this time around.
With the series beginning today, let's take a look at 5 players from India who were a part of the limited overs squad last time around but are not there this time.
#5 Ajinkya Rahane
The 30-year-old Test vice-captain of the Indian cricket team was one of the key players of India’s limited overs squad last time around when they visited England in 2014.
In the four matches he played, he scored 192 runs at an average of 48 with a century to his name. He scored 106 in just 100 balls in the 4th ODI of the five-match series held at Edgbaston in Birmingham to lead India to a comfortable victory and hand them the series.
In the only T20I which the two sides played, he failed to make an impact as he scored just 8 runs. India ended up losing that match.
Ever since then he has been quite inconsistent in ODIs and T20Is and has failed to make much of an impact. He continues to be one of the best Test batsmen for India, especially when playing abroad but his failure in the shorter formats of the game and the emergence of players like KL Rahul have led to his exclusion from both the formats of the game.