5 unexpected India call-ups which might happen for T20 World Cup 2020

All the teams participating in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, that is all set to begin in November this year in Australia, would have started the search for the players, who they would be sending to play in the tournament. And, so would have Virat Kohli and the Indian team’s management. The best opportunity for fishing out the best players, will the IPL and the domestic matches. And they will certainly keep a close view on every possible contenders’ performance in the tournaments.

The Indian team will definitely be going into the 2020 edition of the T20I World Cup with best of talents in the squad and selectors too would want to put in their best while picking out the gems from the bag of the vast talent pool that we have in our country. And, sometimes they might want to take a chance with certain players, that might pay them off really well.

Here’s at five such names who are not the front runners for a place in the squad, but, on whom the selectors would place their bets on:

5. Suresh Raina

One of the stalwarts of the shortest form of the sport often called ‘Mr. IPL’ by his fans, Suresh Raina hasn’t been seen in Indian colours for quite some time now. But, his possibility of making a return to international cricket cannot be ruled out as yet.

Raina, who last played for India, in 2018, after making a return to cricket after a year back into international cricket, can be seen possibly making a return again to the sport in the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia. The last time he played some quality competitive cricket was in 2019 IPL, where he scored.

In that edition of the tournament, he scored a good 383 runs, in 17 matches, maintaining a strike rate of 121.97. He also has a proven track record with the ball in hand too, and his fielding skills need no introduction of any sorts. Raina, recently also had expressed his interest in playing the T20 World Cup and had told that he will be putting his best effort into making a comeback into the team.

So, if he has a great IPL season in 2020, and clears all the fitness tests, which he probably will. He does have a strong chance of getting a ticket to fly down to Australia for the multi-nation tournament. And, helping the team in the middle-order with his skills and experience.

4. Dinesh Karthik

The man who is known for his epic inning in the final of the Nidahas Trophy in 2018, where he played a miraculous knock and got India through to a win in the last over of the match. Dinesh Karthik is one name, who has been out of the discussions of the team selection for quite some time now in spite of having a proven track record.

After making a return into the Indian T20I side after a yearlong gap, he was in and out of the team throughout 2018 and 2019, proving his worth every time he was given a chance. He has been playing crucial knocks time and again, helping India get to wins, whenever they were in a tough spot. Karthik also has a safe pair of hands behind the wickets.

This makes him a perfect candidate for becoming the lead or the backup keeper in the 2020 T20 World Cup. But for that to happen, he will have to hustle it out in the upcoming Indian Premier League and also in the domestic circuit. He will have to grab every single opportunity that he has and make the best out of it.

Also, he will have to be on the lookout for any other opportunity that he can exploit to his favour. He’ll have to be in the pink of his fitness and also work on his glovework and as soon as he gets an opportunity to play, announce a grand arrival on the big stage.

3. Ishan Kishan

Coming from the land of one of the legendary cricketers and a great wicket-keeper batsman, MS Dhoni, and playing the same role as he does hasn’t been an easy task to accomplish for Ishan Kishan. Kishan who is yet to make his debut for the national team might be the one surprise inclusion in the Indian team for the upcoming T20 World Cup.

He has been doing considerably well with the India A team, helping them win games regularly. Also, he has ensured that every time he steps on the field, he puts the best of skills on display for the selectors to look and make them ponder upon including him in the Indian team.

Over the years, playing in the Indian Premier League he has not been that consistent slogger at the bottom of the order. But, has given a handful number of performances, which give out a fair display of the talent, game awareness and other skills that he has in him. In his 37 IPL matches, he has scored 695 runs and has been pretty successful with the gloves too.

Given the fact that the Indian selectors and the management have in the recent years, been into giving youngsters a chance on the big stage, with the latest example being of Vijay Shankar in the 2019 World Cup. It is quite possible that he also might get a chance to be part of the 15 members, Indian squad, for the T20 World Cup.

2. Suryakumar Yadav

The 29-year-old big-hitting batsman from Mumbai, Suryakumar Yadav is that player, whose name pops up prior to the start of selections, in almost every discussion but fades away, as the process progresses.

Prolific lower-order batsman, with the ability to float around the batting order. And, tonk the ball into the stands at will are some of the best qualities that define his style of play. When playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders, he used to play down the order, and for Mumbai Indians, he was given the opening role. And, in both of them, he fared pretty well.

This is a perfect display of his versatility and the fact that he can come in handy, in any situation for the team that he is playing in. You need a fiery start, send him up the order. There is a need for some power hitting at the end, save him and send him at the end of the innings. When on the field with the bat, he makes sure to not let his team down at any point.

He has had a decent run for India A, as well as his domestic team Mumbai, in recent times. And, if the Indian selectors, while picking up the team for the multi0nation tournament, if needed, might give him a chance to be on the plane to Australia.

1. Shreyas Gopal

Shreyas Gopal’s story through the years is a perfect example of a player, who started off as a player with both batting and bowling abilities and ended up perfecting one, that eventually helped him get through the ranks.

He, in the initial stages of his career, was a batsman with fairly good bowling abilities and gradually morphed into becoming a leg-break bowler with credible batting abilities. And, his performances prove this. When he started off in Ranji cricket, he was a batsman with great technique and some leg break bowling abilities. But now, he plays in the team as a leg-break bowler, who can connect his bat with the ball when required.

In IPL, he has played 31 matches since his debut in 2014, with two franchises, namely Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians. His figures with the bat might not be that credible, with just 127 runs and a strike rate of 107.63. But, with the ball in hand, he has done some really decent work. In the 31 matches that he played, he has taken 38 wickets, at an economy of 7.5 and an average of 19.37.

So, his abilities would play in his favour if and when his name comes up in the meeting. He, if makes it to the side, his selection would be as a backup for an already established all-rounder in the side like Ravindra Jadeja or Hardik Pandya.