IND vs NZ 2021: 3 players who were unlucky to miss out on India's T20I squad
The Board of Control for Cricket in India has announced the country's 16-man squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against New Zealand.
Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid will commence their tenures as T20I skipper and head coach respectively, with KL Rahul announced as the vice-captain. Fresh faces like Venkatesh Iyer, Avesh Khan and Harshal Patel have been called up, while youngsters like Ishan Kishan and Ruturaj Gaikwad are also part of the squad.
India’s T20I squad for the New Zealand series: Rohit Sharma (captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Venkatesh Iyer, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Avesh Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj
However, a few deserving players were ignored by the selectors. Here are three cricketers who were unlucky to miss out on India's squad for the New Zealand T20I series.
Honorable Mentions: Arshdeep Singh, Mayank Agarwal, Shikhar Dhawan
#3 Varun Chakravarthy
Varun Chakravarthy went wicketless in the three games he played for India at the T20 World Cup, but that statistic shouldn't be taken out of context. He maintained an economy rate of 6.45 and didn't have nearly enough runs on the board in his first two games against Pakistan and New Zealand.
Chakravarthy has often struggled with injuries and his fitness hasn't always been up to the mark, so that might've been a reason behind his exclusion from India's T20I squad for the New Zealand series. However, with no official word on the same, it is safe to assume that the selectors decided to look elsewhere.
Should that be the case, it is unfair on Chakravarthy, who is still very young in his international career. The 30-year-old is a unique bowler who is a proven Indian Premier League product and a few wicketless matches shouldn't take away from the threat he is in T20 cricket. India could've placed their faith in him for at least another series before showing him the door, especially with the 2022 T20 World Cup only a year away.
#2 Prithvi Shaw
Prithvi Shaw is one for the future, and everyone knows it. However, the dashing young opener has had a tough start to his international career, despite a century on Test debut against West Indies and several noteworthy knocks in the Indian Premier League.
After ironing out a few technical kinks, Shaw seemed to be a completely different player in the first leg of the tournament for the Delhi Capitals. Although his numbers dwindled in the UAE, where the pitches became less conducive to his style of batting, he still managed to come up with the odd explosive powerplay knock.
The presence of four openers - KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ishan Kishan - certainly hindered Shaw's chances, but the youngster impressed in flashes during his last series for India, against Sri Lanka in July. He also recently broke a lean run of form with a sparkling 83 for Mumbai in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
Shaw will consider himself unlucky to miss out on the T20I series against New Zealand. He will instead be part of the India 'A' squad for their upcoming tour of South Africa.
#1 Sanju Samson
What a knock, Captain Sanju Samson - fifty from just 27 balls against Madhya Pradesh in a do or die match for Kerala.
Astonishingly, Sanju Samson still finds himself absent from the Indian T20I squad.
The Rajasthan Royals skipper had a career-best Indian Premier League season in which he showed how much his game has grown, playing several responsible knocks and carrying the weight of the batting lineup in the absence of stalwarts like Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes. Samson has also been in red-hot form for Kerala in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, having notched up 175 runs at an average of 87.5 and a strike rate of 147.05.
India have a solid, first-choice keeper in Rishabh Pant, with Ishan Kishan chosen to be Pant's deputy. While both youngsters are capable cricketers, Samson not being part of the squad doesn't sit right after the incredible season he has had. The 26-year-old's international chances have been few and far between, and he hasn't had a fixed role when he has been part of the Indian playing XI.
Samson should've arguably been picked for the New Zealand series, and it's certain that he will have a point to prove in his upcoming matches.