In all formats of cricket, India is currently one of the top teams in the world. Unlike many other teams who specialize in one format, India has excelled in all three for a long time. This came after several failed tours and a lot of chopping and rearranging of the squad. In recent years, India has developed the world’s best cricket production line. A number of players are working hard to get to the next level. Indian cricketers’ skill levels have advanced by leaps and bounds. Unfortunately, only a few of them will get the opportunity to represent the men in blue abroad.
Every year, fresh faces emerge, and the Indian Premier League (IPL) has made it a little easier. Players gain much-needed experience and are able to quickly adjust to international cricket. As a result, there is fierce rivalry among cricketers to make the national squad.
In addition, being a regular member of the squad becomes much more difficult, since there are many others waiting in line for a chance. Let’s take a look at famous Indian cricketers who might never play for team India again
Amit Mishra
Amit Mishra, a leggie who made his international debut in 2003, last played for India in 2017. The 36-year-old has been in and out of the club throughout his long career. He has a total of 76 Test and 64 ODI wickets, but he may not have any more opportunities to add to his total. At his most recent One-Day International, he bowled a fifer against New Zealand in Vishakhapatnam. During the years 2011-2015, India favored Ashwin and Jadeja as frontline spinners, while Mishra was frequently benched. With age working against him, Mishra is unlikely to represent India again.
Dinesh Karthik
With his exquisite batting in the Ranji Trophy in 2003-04, the Tamil Nadu batsman drew the attention of the cricketing world. When the country hosted the Australian squad, he was promptly recruited into the Test team. Dinesh Karthik was complimented for his efforts behind the stumps more than his hitting.
In Tests and ODIs, his fast reflexes made him a first-choice keeper-batsman. Dinesh Karthik has played more than 150 times for India, most recently in the 2019 CWC semi-finals. DK just has himself to blame for his lack of success in international cricket, since he has always been inconsistent. With the development of KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant, it appears that DK would never play another ODI for India.
Kedar Jadhav
When Kedar Jadhav hit a magnificent 120 against England in 2017 despite pursuing a 300+ total, he managed to eclipse Virat Kohli on that particular day. Even now, Kedar Jadhav is one of the few players in ODI cricket with a batting average of over 40 and a strike rate of over 100. He has a 42 batting average and a strike rate of 101 in 52 at the plate, demonstrating the sort of effect he has had in the little opportunities he has been given. Kedar Jadhav’s demise may be attributed to only two factors: age and fitness. His recurrent injuries kept him out of the team, and his age didn’t help matters either.
Varun Aaron
Varun Aaron stood out from the rest of the Indian pacers because he routinely hit 140 kph. Aaron exhibited a tendency to break down with injuries when the Indians believed they had finally discovered a tearaway fast. With his raw speed, he made his debut against England and quickly caused problems for the batsmen.
He ended the game with a 3/24 average, and it appeared like the squad had discovered a new bowling kingpin. He earned his Test debut soon after but was had to sit out for over two years due to a back ailment. Aaron lacked control over his line and length which contributed to his downfall. Because of the emergence of Mohammad Shami and Jasprit Bumrah in the ranks, he was eventually dropped.
Vijay Shankar
Shankar made his One-Day International debut against Australia in 2019 and immediately made an impression. He struck a useful 40 in only his second series and grabbed the crucial wicket of Marcus Stoinis in the final over to help his team win the match. He was even unexpectedly included in the 2019 CWC squad.
The fact that MSK Prasad, India’s then-selector, said that he was a “Three-Dimensional Player” and hence was picked in the squad elicited both good and negative reactions from cricket commentators. He was never picked to play for India again after that. It’s disappointing to watch a great all-rounder like Shankar go from being India’s No. 4 batsmen to another guy who has fallen off the radar in recent ODI cricket.