In the ongoing five-match T20I series between West Indies and India, the hosts have gotten a 2-0 lead after a couple of matches. The Men in Maroon have brought their A game forward in front of their home fans, putting Team India under pressure in all departments of the game.
This has led to some changes in the playing XI of the Indian T20I lineup, with more expected in the upcoming matches against the West Indies. Irrespective of the final result in this series and the Ireland tour, the selectors and team management might have to take some tough calls in regard to team combinations in the shortest format of the game, with an eye on the T20 World Cup in 2024.
With that being said, SportsTiger looks at some of the Indian players who might be dropped from T20Is after West Indies and Ireland series:
1. Ravi Bishnoi
Ravi Bishnoi, the right-arm leg spinner, has been in and out of the Indian T20I setup, since making his debut against Sri Lanka in February last year. Although he has given a couple of decent performances in the Team India jersey in the shortest format, the lack of consistency in taking wickets hasn’t been ideal for the cause.
In the second T20I against West Indies, Ravi Bishnoi was taken to the cleaners in his first over by Nicholas Pooran, scoring 18 runs off him to change the complexion of the match in the favour of the hosts. Hence, if the 22-year-old isn’t going to pull his socks up in the remainder of the series and the Ireland tour, he might be in line to get dropped from the Indian T20I setup altogether.
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2. Mukesh Kumar
The right-arm fast bowler Mukesh Kumar made his debut in T20Is against the West Indies during the first match at Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad. In his first two appearances for Team India, he has proven to be quite expensive, while picking up only one wicket for his efforts.
Still, Mukesh Kumar has the chance to make a big impression on the selectors and team management in the remainder of the West Indies series and Ireland tour. But, if the 29-year-old isn’t able to do so, then he will have to make way for the returning fast bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna, along with Mohammad Siraj and Mohammad Shami, in the future T20I assignments for Team India.
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3. Sanju Samson
One of the most prolific performers in the franchise T20 cricket, Sanju Samson, who also captains the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League, has found it difficult to cement his spot in the T20I lineup for Team India. Over the past few years, the 28-year-old has been tried in various positions in the middle order, but he has yet to deliver a substantial performance for the Men in Blue in a winning cause.
In the ongoing T20I series against the West Indies, Sanju Samson has got a couple of low scores, which has been far from ideal for him to guarantee consistent opportunities for the rest of the matches in the Caribbean and the upcoming tour to Ireland. He needs a big score in the shortest format in Team India jersey as soon as possible, otherwise he might get dropped from the national setup in the T20I format.
