India T20 Squad: 3 Surprising Omissions For South Africa Series
India announces its T20 squad for the South Africa series. Find out why Rajat Patidar, Rasikh Salam, and Prabhsimran Singh were surprisingly left out.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently revealed the squad set to play against South Africa in a four-match T20I series, starting Friday, November 8, in Durban. Due to several other important cricket assignments happening simultaneously, like the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and an A-team tour to Australia, this selection includes a mix of fresh faces and some established names.
In a setback, Mayank Yadav, Shivam Dube, and Riyan Parag are missing from the squad due to injuries. Although this squad boasts depth and talent, there are also a few surprising omissions.
India’s Squad for South Africa T20Is:
Captain: Suryakumar Yadav
Players: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ramandeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Avesh Khan, Yash Dayal
Here, we look at three players who were unfortunate to miss out on this series.
1. Rajat Patidar
Rajat Patidar’s performance in the 2024 IPL season with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) was commendable. Although he started off slow, he gathered momentum as the season progressed, making significant contributions in the latter half, which helped RCB reach the playoffs. Known for his skill against spinners, Patidar excelled particularly against leg-spinners, scoring 120 runs in just nine overs of leg-spin in IPL 2024. Despite Tilak Varma’s selection, Patidar’s exclusion feels surprising, especially considering that South Africa was the place where he made his international debut.
2. Rasikh Salam
India’s fast-bowling lineup has been limited due to injuries and form issues, making the exclusion of Rasikh Salam notable. Known for his skills in the death overs, Salam has shone in recent months, especially during the Emerging Asia Cup, where his yorkers and variations were difficult for batters to tackle. Salam also impressed for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2024, showcasing his control and effectiveness at the death. Given India’s need for a reliable bowler across all phases, his absence in the squad stands out.
3. Prabhsimran Singh
Prabhsimran Singh, who has shown promise in recent performances, especially in the Emerging Asia Cup, could have been a valuable addition as both a backup wicketkeeper and an aggressive opening option. Although he has displayed his attacking playstyle in the IPL, India has chosen to go with Jitesh Sharma as the wicketkeeper for this series, despite Jitesh’s recent inconsistency. Prabhsimran, with his aggressive approach, could have strengthened the squad’s top-order depth and provided flexibility.
These players bring valuable skills and form to India’s T20I setup, and their exclusions reflect the challenging decisions selectors face when managing depth and balancing experience with emerging talent.
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