3 Indian players who might not get a game during the Australia T20I series
Team India have named their 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup, with most of the selected players taking part in both the upcoming T20I series against Australia and South Africa.
Ahead of the T20 World Cup, India will want to give most of their traveling contingent some game time. With some resting and rotating happening against Australia and South Africa, we're bound to see a few different combinations. However, the Australia T20I series will see a near full-strength squad, and the Men in Blue might want to arrive at their best playing XI before handing out some chances.
Here are three players who might not get a game during the three-match T20I series against Australia.
#3 Deepak Chahar
Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Deepak Chahar probably can't coexist in the same playing XI, especially for a T20 World Cup held in Australia. With the former having been rested from India's T20I assignment against South Africa, he's likely to play all three games against Australia. Even if Bhuvneshwar is given a break or two, young Arshdeep Singh is more than capable of bowling with the new ball.
As a result, Chahar might only get a chance to play against the Proteas. Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel have made comebacks to the side after recovering from injury and are bound to try to get some match practice under their belt, while Bhuvneshwar and Arshdeep - who are part of the main T20 World Cup squad - will also be preferred over the Rajasthan-born bowler.
#2 Mohammed Shami
Chahar might not be the only fast bowler to sit out against Australia. Mohammad Shami, making a return to the T20I side for the first time since the 2021 T20 World Cup, might be last in the pace pecking order.
Like Bhuvneshwar and Chahar, Shami's primary skillset is with the new ball. He hasn't been great in the middle overs or at the death over the last year, and he doesn't really offer much with the bat either. He has only been picked in the T20 World Cup reserves because other hit-the-deck bowlers like Avesh Khan and Umran Malik failed to grasp the opportunities they were given.
#1 Deepak Hooda
Deepak Hooda was used lower down the order in the Asia Cup and he clearly wasn't at home. Tasked with finishing off the innings, the 27-year-old couldn't clear the boundary immediately after coming to the crease.
Hooda is clearly a batter who belongs in the top five, and that might not be the role he will be offered during the Australia T20I series. India still have some way to go before sorting out their batting lineup, and they're likely to experiment with roles and not personnel.
Hooda does offer a sixth bowling option, but Hardik Pandya is available for the Australia T20Is. Should India need an off-spinner who can bat, Ravichandran Ashwin is waiting in the wings.