Like never previously, categorization of players as per formats is at an all-time high at the moment. Hence, despite them being satisfactory in a particular format, a few players fail to get chances in other versions where they are not experts.
While that is one point, in the T20 format, the durability of a player is very compact. Due to IPL, fresh players come in regularly, and if you are out of form, seizing another turn will be an arduous duty. Also, the T20 format is evolving every single game, and if a player is not refreshed with the standards, he might struggle.
In this article, we talk about five active Indian cricketers who may not play T20Is again. They have served the country, and another opening appears too distant on the horizon.
1. Ajinkya Rahane
After his splendid show Down Under, Ajinkya Rahane will now be considered as one of the pillars of the Indian Test Team. This could automatically deny him of any chance to represent the country in the shortest format of the game. Let alone the country, Rahane might even find it hard to find a place in the Delhi Capitals XI next season. In the previous season too, Ajinkya got very few opportunities, and if that continues, the Mumbai player might never play a T20I again.
2. Dinesh Karthik
It seems that the Indian Team has decided to look past veteran wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik. DK was himself in a mediocre form in IPL 2020, and that is the main reason for his absence from Team India. Moreover, there are too many young wicket-keeping options that the country has at the moment. While KL Rahul is the current man behind the stumps, Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson are also in the tiff. If Ishan Kishan can repeat the heroics of IPL 2020 in the upcoming season, he would also come into the scheme of things.
3. Ishant Sharma
Ishant Sharma is one of the best red-ball bowlers that the country has produced. However, in the shorter formats, the lanky pacer has not been able to leave a mark. He has played a few games but did not show the wicket-taking ability that he usually exhibits in the longer format. Moreover, with injuries happening frequently for him, focussing only on the Test format could be the best way forward. A few games can happen in IPL, but that might be the highest-level of T20 cricket that Ishant Sharma will play in rest of his career.
4. Kedar Jadhav
Kedar Jadhav was groomed to become a reliable finisher in the shorter formats. However, the Pune-player is in a horrific form at the moment. In IPL 2020, he even struggled to time the ball on many occasions. Kedar is also bowling very little, therefore reducing his stakes further. His age is another factor that could deny him of a chance of playing an International T20 again. More so, with the likes of Suryakumar Yadav, Manish Pandey and Shreyas Iyer fighting hard for a place in the middle-order, Kedar might not play for India again in T20’s.
5. Umesh Yadav
Many forget, but it was actually through IPL that Umesh Yadav came into the limelight. Stats-wise too, Umesh is one of the most experienced domestic pacers in IPL. However, his time might be up with regards to the Indian Team. Umesh’s discipline has been wayward in recent years and considering there are only 24 balls a T20 bowler has to bowl, the former RCB player will not be a good pick. Instead, Umesh can focus on his red-ball career and prolong his time with the Indian squad.
