IND vs AUS 2022: 3 Indian players who might not get a chance in T20I series
Rohit Sharma and Co. have to take a couple of decisions ahead of the first T20I against Australia.
Team India are all set to lock horns with Australia in a three-match T20I series, which is part of their preparations for the T20 World Cup 2022. The marquee event is just two months away and both sides will look to put on their best game in the highly-anticipated series.
The Men in Blue, who had a poor Asia Cup 2022 campaign, will once again have the services of ace pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel. The T20I series will be crucial for them to find their best combination and test themselves against the current T20 World Champions.
With Rohit Sharma & Co. looking to give players a long run, there is a high possibility that certain names will be missed out. In this article, we look at three names who might not get a chance in the T20I series against Australia:
1) Axar Patel
Axar Patel stepped into the setup in the recently concluded Asia Cup after Ravindra Jadeja suffered an injury and was ruled out of the mega-event in Australia. Though he is a like-to-like replacement for the premium all-rounder, he didn’t find a spot in the XI. The Indian management preferred Deepak Hooda over him for the same role.
The decision didn’t work well as Hooda is a top-order batter without much experience of batting in the lower-order. As a result, he couldn’t find his rhyme in the new role and failed miserably. However, Hooda is likely to get more opportunities as he strengthens batting power in the side and is also handy with the ball.
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2) Ravichandran Ashwin
Veteran Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has done well for his side whenever he finds himself playing XI. Though he hasn’t picked up many wickets in recent games, his economy has been superb, keeping the T20 structure in mind. On top of that, he can also provide his batting skills like he did for the Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2022.
But with the return of Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel, Rohit Sharma’s side will definitely go back to three premium fast bowlers strategy. The World Cup will be played on Australian pitches, which is well-known for assisting pacers. Hence, Ashwin’s might not find a place in the side.
3) Dinesh Karthik
Dinesh Karthik’s return to the national team has been nothing short of an inspiration. The wicketkeeper was awarded a call-up following his exploits in IPL 2022 for RCB. He has been in great touch of late and has flourished even in the most pressurizing situations, which is a big surplus for any side.
The toss-up will be between Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik for the wicketkeeper batsman role. The Indian side cannot afford to have both as it will cut down their bowling options to five, which is not a good strategy in the shortest format of the game. On that note, the Indian management will be keen to have Pant in the XI as he is the only lefty available.
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