One of the things that passed slightly under the radar after India's squad announcement for Sri Lanka white ball series was that Sanju Samson could not find a place in the ODI side. (More Cricket News)
Samson who had hit a century in the last ODI that he played against South Africa in December 2023 has been unable to break into the Indian 50-over squad. It has become a talking point on social media.
Samson could only think of himself as unlucky and look towards the future. Now that BCCI has announced the squads for the three T20Is and three ODIs in Sri Lanka, it is time take a look at five players who have been unlucky to miss out.
Abhishek Sharma
Even a century in just his second international innings could not help Abhishek Sharma book his place in the Indian T20I side that will leave for Sri Lanka.
In the recently-concluded Zimbabwe T20Is , Abhishek smashed the nine sixes, the most in the series. His strike rate of 174.6 was also the best among the two teams. Yet Abhishek will have to wait for his next opportunity with the Men In Blue.
Yuzvendra Chahal
The most successful IPL bowler, Yuzvendra Chahal has not been able to play a single T20 World Cup match for India. After being on the bench in India's winning campaign in the West Indies and the United States, selectors have again discarded the leg spinner.
Selectors have trusted young Ravi Bishnoi over Chahal and that might be a sign of moving ahead from the Haryana leggie.
Not even a chance at the T20 World Cup and now dropped, Chahal would definitely feel he has been hard done by.
Ravindra Jadeja
Ravindra Jadeja, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli all three announced their T20I retirements after India's T20 World Cup victory. They all are available for other two formats.
However, while Rohit and Kohli are back in the ODI side, there is no mention of Jadeja. Are the selectors not looking at him as an ODI option or there is some other reason that has not been made public? Nothing has come out yet, but not seeing Jadeja in the ODI team looks a bit odd.
Mukesh Kumar
Mukesh Kumar has hovered around the Indian set up for some time now. He has been in and out of the team and has blown hot and cold.
However, in Zimbabwe he was the highest wicket-taker in the series alongside Washington Sundar with eight scalps in just three outings. With Khaleel Ahmed selected ahead of him as third pacer, Mukesh seems to have just narrowly missed out on a spot.
Sanju Samson
Last but not the least, Sanju Samson not featuring in the ODI squad seems like the most unfair thing. What makes it even more interesting is that Riyan Parag has received his maiden ODI call-up and Shivam Dube who has played a solitary ODI way back in 2019 also returned to the ODI set-up.
Samson has solid ODI numbers with over 500 runs at an average of 56 and a strike rate of 99. Maybe the secondary skills of Parag and Dube persuaded selectors towards them but the fact remains that Samson deserved to be in that team.
