India’s last T20I series was the Asian Games 2023. The Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2023 ended recently. Looking at the performances of some of the players here, some players could be dropped. Here, we take a look at three gold medallists at Asian Games 2023 who could be dropped after a poor SMAT 2023.
Indian T20I squad needs preparation for the 2024 T20 World Cup. It could start with the five-match T20I series against Australia that will start after the 2023 ODI World Cup.
1) Mukesh Kumar
Despite not making his IPL debut, interestingly, Mukesh Kumar got a chance to play for the Indian T20I squad. He got chances in all the formats of the game. However, the West Bengal pacer was not able to do well. Further, in the recent SMAT 2023, as well, the right-arm pacer was in poor touch. Therefore, it is unlikely that he would get another chance. Someone like Bhuvneshwar Kumar might make a comeback to the Indian Team instead of Mukesh.
2) Jitesh Sharma might be dropped after a poor SMAT 2023
Jitesh Sharma is one of the gold medallists at the Asian Games 2023 who could be dropped after a poor SMAT 2023. There were a lot of expectations from Jitesh in SMAT 2023. However, the Vidharba man failed to set the stage on fire. If you see it, he is competing with the likes of Riyan Parag for the role of a finisher in the squad. Now that Parag had a blockbuster tournament, it is unlikely that Jitesh might be selected.
3) Shahbaz Ahmed
Ravindra Jadeja is likely to be rested while Axar Patel still seems to have some injury problems. Hence, it was the perfect time for Shahbaz to cement his place in the side. However, the West Bengal all-rounder did not have a good outing in the tournament. Now, someone like Krunal Pandya might get selected because he had a good tournament and is also experienced.
