IPL 2022: 3 Indian players in danger of losing their final chance of making the national side

KKR's Ajinkya Rahane is struggling for runs in IPL 2022.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is generally considered a "chance giver". The broadcasters promote it as a place "where talent meets opportunity", there is an annual award for emerging players, and most of India's success in white-ball cricket is attributed to it as well.

But there's a flip side to it too. While some Indian players gain the attention of national selectors every year, others lose it amid the rigmarole of money, team combinations, owners' pressures, and most of all - the sheer glut of replacements.

Below, we look at three such players who are almost on the edge of losing probably their last shot at representing Team India again.

#1 Vijay Shankar (Gujarat Titans)

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While India struggled for a No. 4 batter and a fast-bowling all-rounder in 2019, Vijay Shankar was the only player tried for both positions. He did decently well too, scoring 223 ODI runs from 12 matches at an average of 31.86 and picking up nine wickets with his medium-pace across 21 white-ball internationals.

But like many others who were part of those trials, Shankar faded away from the selectors' minds within weeks. His call-up to the national team came on the back of two back-to-back successful IPL seasons where he averaged over 50. But in the four seasons since, his average dropped to 20.33, 24.25, 11.60, and now 8.50 in IPL 2022.

He was given what seemed like a great opportunity for a fresh start this year. He was asked to bat at No. 3 for IPL debutants Gujarat Titans (GT) and had the chance to establish himself as a top-order mainstay. But he failed, scoring timid knocks of four off six balls and 13 off 20 deliveries, lacking any sort of control. He was left out from the third match due to a "back spasm" and hasn't been able to make his way back yet.

Shankar is 31 years old now. While he is not too old, his form in domestic cricket and failure to return to the team makes us think that he might not get too many opportunities to impress in the IPL. Moreover, India have all but settled on their No. 4 and have also found several options for the fast-bowling all-rounder's spot, making his return quite tough.

#2 Ajinkya Rahane (Kolkata Knight Riders)

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Once one of India's best Test batters and vice-captain, skipper of his former IPL franchise (Rajasthan Royals) and a brilliant white-ball opener, Ajinkya Rahane has had a fall from grace over the last few years. He is currently not considered any of the above and there are strong chances this IPL season could be his last opportunity to represent India again.

Speaking before the IPL 2022 auction, Rahane played up his stats in the competition, saying he needs consistent time at the crease to make a mark. He spoke to reputed journalist Boria Majumdar on his YouTube show, "Backstage with Boria" and explained:

“I don’t talk about myself, but my IPL record is really good. Especially for Rajasthan Royals, I’ve played 7-8 years, did really well. I didn’t get much game time in the last 2 years, but I’m confident. For me, it’s all about playing matches, it’s all about playing consistently in white-ball cricket. So, I’m looking forward to that."

He then almost went unsold in the auction before the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) sneaked in to get him for his base price of ₹1 crore. They also provided the Mumbai batter with what he asked for, with Rahane opening in all five matches so far. But the 33-year-old is yet to repose that faith, with his tally reading just 80 runs at a below-par average of 16.

Rahane is currently not in consideration to represent India in any format. After the prolonged backing he received from the Indian team management before getting dropped from the Test team, a comeback at this stage looks near impossible. But there have been countless examples of players being selected for Test sides based on white-ball form and then making comebacks in ODIs and T20Is. Opening for one of the most successful IPL teams thus is a massive opportunity for him.

If his bad patch continues, KKR will want to replace Rahane with Australian white-ball captain Aaron Finch, who recently became available for selection. This could mean the final door for Rahane effectively getting closed as well.

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#3 Manish Pandey (Lucknow Super Giants)

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Manish Pandey's case is in between Shankar and Rahane.

He has consistently performed at the domestic level, has tons of experience in scoring in crucial matches, and is fit enough to play for at least five or six more years. What the 32-year-old doesn't have is much to show for his efforts at the IPL.

The fear that he was cutting it fine with his inconsistency became real in 2019. He notched a couple of 40s in losing causes at the start of the season for SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) and was dropped, apparently due to his low strike rate. He returned to the team later in the season but couldn't do much to change the earlier impression.

Like Shankar, getting a chance to play in the top order for the Lucknow Super Giants was crucial for him. Also, like the all-rounder, Pandey failed to grab it. He scored six off five balls, five off six deliveries, and 11 (10) in the first three games of the season. LSG weren't ready to be patient and switched him with bowling all-rounder Krishnappa Gowtham.

Despite their recent three-run loss against the Rajasthan Royals (RR), LSG are likely to continue with the same team, which means the window for Pandey is quite narrow. If the team clicks in the coming games, the batter will be relegated to the bench for a long time. This happening in a 10-team tournament could set a worrying precedent for Pandey and his goal of playing more than just 68 internationals for India.