India had a fairly decent run in the 2016 T20 World Cup. They lost to eventual champions West Indies in the semi-finals. Virat Kohli almost singlehandedly took India to the semi-finals. India was tipped favourites before the World Cup and that knockout loss was a disappointment. The team had many iconic players in their ranks but couldn’t deliver when it mattered the most. Several players from that squad will be missing from the upcoming T20 World Cup. A couple of them have retired while few have fallen by the wayside. Here are 5 Indian Cricketers Who Won’t Play In Upcoming World Cup.
5 Indian Cricketers Who Won’t Play In Upcoming World Cup
#5 Ashish Nehra
Ashish Nehra along with Jasprit Bumrah were India’s key pace bowlers in the T20 World Cup 2016. Nehra played a crucial role in the win over Australia. He guided young Bumrah beautifully and they complemented each other wonderfully. Nehra retired from active cricket in 2017. His body had taken a lot of tolls and was no longer fit to take the rigours of cricket. India hasn’t yet got a gun left-arm fast bowler to post his retirement.
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#4 Yuvraj Singh
Yuvraj Singh arguably remains one of India’s finest T20 players. He played a starring role in India’s maiden T20 World Cup triumph in 2007. Post a career-threatening disease, Yuvraj made his comeback into the team with the T20 World Cup in 2012. He has a mixed history with the T20 World Cups. It was in the 2014 T20 World Cup final, where Yuvraj’s 21 balls 11 cost India the game. But he put that setback aside and played the 2016 T20 World Cup. He got injured in the game against Australia. Manish Pandey replaced him in the semi-finals. Singh much like Nehra has retired and won’t be part of the upcoming campaign.
#3 Ajinkya Rahane
Ajinkya Rahane was drafted to play in the semi-finals of the 2016 T20 World Cup. His innings drew polarising reactions around that time. His 34 ball 40 in a high-scoring game stuck out. Experts believed had Rahane scored a wee bit quicker, India could have hit the all-important 200 run mark. Rahane’s formed in T20Is since then has nosedived considerably. He in all likelihood seems to have missed the bus for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
#2 Suresh Raina
Suresh Raina was a major force in T20I cricket. He played decisive innings in almost all T20 World Cups since 2010. Raina in fact is the first Indian batsman to score a T20I century. His ability to accelerate from ball one during his peak made him invaluable. Raina announced his retirement last year. A utility player like him will surely be missed.
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#1 MS Dhoni
The 2021 T20 World Cup will be the first T20 World Cup without Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Dhoni has not just played all the 6 T20 world cups but has gone to captain India in all of them. He led India to their maiden T20 World Cup win in 2007. India were the inaugural T20 World Cup champions. Dhoni decided to hang up his boots last year. India will miss having a player of his calibre in their ranks.
Other possible exclusions:
Manish Pandey and Ravichandran Ashwin too might miss playing the 2021 T20 World Cup given the competition at stake. Pandey is all but out of the race. Ashwin still might be an out-of-the-box inclusion in the T20 World Cup squad.
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