5 players who missed out India's T20I squad for West Indies tour

The selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, on Wednesday (July 5) announced India's 15-member T20I squad for the West Indies tour. The board's focus on nurturing the next generation of cricketers was evident, especially after India's disappointing performance in the T20I World Cup against England last year.

India's tour of West Indies start with the first of two Tests in Dominica on July 12. After that the Men In Blue will play three ODIs from July 27 to August 1 before moving on to the five-match T20I series from August 3.

While Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Verma, and Mukesh Kumar have secured spots in the T20I squad, prominent players such as Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Mohammad Shami, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have been rested. Although the squad appears balanced with the inclusion of Jaiswal, Samson, and Tilak Verma, there were a few players who could have been considered for the tour.

Here are 5 players who missed out on selection for the West Indies tour:

1. Rinku Singh: The exclusion of Kolkata Knight Riders' star batter, Rinku Singh, came as a surprise. He showcased exceptional performances in this year's IPL, amassing 474 runs in 14 matches with a strike rate of 149.53.

Rinku's strike rate and average were actually better than Tilak Verma, who made it to the side.

It seemed likely that the left-handed middle-order batter would be part of the West Indies tour, but he might find a place in the Ireland tour in August 2023 instead.

2. Nitish Rana: It's puzzling why the captain of KKR hasn't been able to impress the selectors despite his impressive batting displays in this year's IPL. Rana is a skilled player against spin bowling and is well-suited for the number three position.

As an off-spinner, he could have been accommodated in the squad instead of Axar Patel. With the Asia Cup and the 50-over ODI World Cup coming up this year, the selectors shouldn't overlook players with potential.

Rana expressed his disappointment on Instagram, sharing a post that read, "Bad days build better days."

3. Varun Chakravarthy: The leg-spinner has faced repeated snubs despite his impressive stats. He was KKR's leading spinner this season, claiming 20 wickets in 14 matches.

Chakravarthy recorded his best IPL performance of 5/20 against DC and is often regarded as a mystery spinner with strategies tailored for each batsman. He even outperformed Kuldeep Yadav, who had only 13 wickets in 10 matches this year.

Chakravarthy has played only 6 T20I matches for India, taking 2 wickets while maintaining an economy rate below 6. It's a mystery as to when he will get another opportunity in an international game, as his last appearance for India was in July 2021 against Scotland.

4. Jitesh Sharma: There's something remarkable about Jitesh Sharma. Despite batting in the lower middle order, the right-handed batter consistently delivers magnificent shots at an impressive strike rate.

In IPL 2023, Sharma maintained a strike rate of 159.59, scoring 309 runs in 13 matches. Many people on Twitter criticized the BCCI for excluding Sharma despite his strong IPL performance.

5. Sandeep Sharma:  The talented pacer from Punjab possesses the ability to swing the ball both ways, setting him apart from others. However, Sharma has been overlooked for selection in the Indian team for quite some time.

He had a fantastic IPL season with the Rajasthan Royals this year and played a pivotal role in their victory over CSK, defending 21 runs in the final overs against Ravindra Jadeja and MS Dhoni.

The 30-year-old right-arm pacer has represented India in only 2 T20I matches so far.