5 Indian players from SL vs IND series who might not get a chance in T20 WC 2021

The T20I series against Sri Lanka will be the final international assignment that the Indian players will face ahead of the hugely awaited 2021 T20 World Cup. And, in this short T20I series against the Sri Lankan side, a lot of new faces got the chance to showcase their worth to the Indian selectors.

While some grabbed the opportunity with both hands, some players have let the chance slip by. And in all probability, a few Indian players who featured in the series against Sri Lanka might not get a chance to gain an entry into the Indian squad for the 2021 T20 World Cup.

With the T20 World Cup a few months away, let us take a look at five such Indian cricketers.

5. Devdutt Padikkal

Devdutt Padikkal made his T20I debut for the Indian side in the 2nd T20I between India and Sri Lanka that took place on 28th July 2021. The 21-year-old left-hander scored a breezy 29 off 23 deliveries for India in the second rubber. He went on to score just 9 runs in next encounter.

And in all likelihood, Padikkal will miss the bus for the 2021 T20 World Cup. The Indian top-order is brimming with talent, with names such as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, KL Rahul, and Suryakumar Yadav.

And as of now, Padikkal has played one T20I and has not yet experienced a proper taste of international T20 cricket. Padikkal still has a lot of time to prove his worth, as he is pretty young as well.

4. Ruturaj Gaikwad

Another young batsman who might not be a part of the Indian squad for the T20 World Cup is Ruturaj Gaikwad. Gaikwad made his T20I debut against Sri Lanka in the 2nd T20I and opened the batting alongside Shikhar Dhawan.

And, the right-handed batsman scored an 18-ball 21 at the top of the order. He had the chance to kick on and get a big score but perished. Gaikwad will not get the chance to break into the Indian T20I squad for the upcoming World Cup, as the Indian batting lineup is brimming with options.

There are already four players in the reckoning for the openers slot alone, as the likes of Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, and Prithvi Shaw are all fighting for the top two slots in the Indian batting lineup.

The middle-order too is filled with names such as Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, and Rishabh Pant. And in all likelihood, Gaikwad will miss the bus for the T20 World Cup.

3. Chetan Sakariya

Chetan Sakariya hogged the limelight in the 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The left-arm seamer made heads turn towards his direction with his impressive performance in the tournament. The 23-year-old picked up 7 wickets in as many matches at a strike rate of 23.14 at the time of suspension of the IPL.

He was also drafted into the Indian T20I squad for the series against Sri Lanka. And, Sakariya produced a poor performance in his debut outing for the Indian side. He bowled 3.4 overs, gave away 34 runs, and could also manage to pick up just a single wicket.

Also, India has a plethora of options in the pace bowling department like Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Mohammed Shami, who are experienced. Also, throw in the names of Shardul Thakur and Deepak Chahar, and we find that the Indian pace bowling department is already overflowing with a number of quality pacers.

2. Varun Chakravarthy

Spinner Varun Chakravarthy was provided two opportunities to showcase his worth in the T20I series against Sri Lanka. And in both matches put together, the Tamil Nadu spinner could only pick up two wickets. While Chakravarthy did not leak a lot of runs, he was not able to provide India with crucial breakthroughs as well.

In the spin department, Ravindra Jadeja is a sure-shot pick for the T20 World Cup. The left-arm spinner is one of the best all-rounders in limited-overs cricket at the moment and will walk into the Indian World Cup squad with ease. India might also opt for Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav as well. While Chahal is the highest wicket-taker for India in T20I cricket and has taken 63 scalps in 49 matches, Kuldeep is the 6th highest wicket-taker and has prized out 41 batsmen.

Chakravarthy is untested at the international level and is just 2 T20I matches old. And, it is highly unlikely that he will be picked in the Indian squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup.

1. Sanju Samson

There is no doubt about the talent and ability that Sanju Samson possesses. But then, Samson has not been able to consistently churn out the runs with the willow. Samson got off to a good start in the first T20I against Sri Lanka, but threw it away and departed for 27. And in the 2nd T20I too, the right-hander could score just 7 runs. He registered a duck in the third T20I.

Samson has played 9 innings for India in T20I cricket and has been dismissed for a score of less than 30 every single time. And, this is something that Samson will surely not be proud of. And, even if Samson scores big in the third and final rubber, it is unlikely that he might be offered a berth in the Indian T20I squad.

One factor that works in favour of Samson though, is the fact that he is only 26 years old and has age on his side. And, if Samson wants to wear the Indian jersey on a consistent basis, then he will surely have to score more consistently for India. As of now, a berth in the Indian squad for the T20 World Cup looks unlikely for him.