5 India T20 rejects performing well at the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy

India's premier domestic T20 tournament, the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, is currently underway and we have already seen some riveting cricketing action already. There are a number of players who have been doing well in the tournament including youngsters as well as seasoned campaigners.Among the performers in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy are some players who are not currently in the scheme of things for Team India. However, they are putting up a strong case for making a return to the Indian team at the 2016 ICC World Twenty20.Here we take a look at five such Indian cricketers:

#1 Irfan Pathan

Irfan Pathan could return to the national team based on his current domestic form

Irfan Pathan is easily the best seam-bowling allrounder India have produced at least in the past couple of decades. However, owing to a variety of factors, he has not been part of the Indian team for quite a few years.

Pathan’s performance in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy has been very impressive as he has excelled for Baroda with both bat and ball. In 6 matches, the allrounder has scored 110 runs at a very decent average of 36.66 and a tremendous strike rate of just below 145.

To add to it, he has also picked up 12 wickets at a staggering average of 13.66 and best figures of 5 for 13 against Assam in Baroda’s very first game. Irfan Pathan’s fine all-round form may help him earn a much-awaited recall to the Indian team.

#2 Parthiv Patel

Parthiv is having a great time in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy

As a 17-year old, Parthiv Patel made his way into the Indian team as wicket-keeper and lower order batsman. However, he is 30 now and has been out of the Team India frame for a long time now.

But considering his performances in the current edition of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he may be becoming a strong contender to make it to the World Twenty20 squad purely as a batsman. With 271 runs in 6 games at a stunning average of slightly over 54 and a ballistic strike rate of 165.24, Patel looks a far more accomplished player than he ever was.

Parthiv’s top score of 70 off 40 balls came in a tight victory for Gujarat over Hyderabad in a group stage match. With the 2016 World Twenty20 scheduled to take place in India, Patel may be fancying his chances of making a return.

#3 Piyush Chawla

Chawla has been one of the leading wicket-takers in the tournament

The 27-year old Uttar Pradesh leg-spinner is still too young not to think of making a comeback to the Indian team. Piyush Chawla is doing his chances no harm whatsoever with the way that he is performing in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

Chawla has managed to pick up 12 wickets in just 5 games at an average of only 9.66 and a miserly economy of 6.10 as per T20 standards. His top performance of 4 for 28 helped Uttar Pradesh restrict their opponents Maharashtra to 109 for 7 in a match which his team won by 7 wickets.

Piyush Chawla has been proving his credentials as a wicket-taking bowler and a handy lower order batsman from time to time in the shortest format. It may not come as a surprise if he finds himself back in the Indian team for the World Twenty20.

#4 Robin Uthappa

Uthappa is looking to make the most of his opportunities in domestic cricket

Ace Karnataka batsman Robin Uthappa was a key member of India’s World Twenty20 winning squad in 2007. However, more than 8 years down the line, he is only considered worthy by the selectors to be part of a second-string squad for a Zimbabwe tour.

But Uthappa looks to be bent on having it his way and has been performing quite well in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The swashbuckling batsman has scored 205 runs from 5 matches and averages exactly 41. His strike rate has been ever-impressive at 139 plus and his highest score in the tournament is 80 against Maharashtra.

Robin Uthappa will be hoping that the selectors are taking into account his current performance before taking a call on his future in the Indian team.

#5 Cheteshwar Pujara

Pujara has hit a purple patch in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy

Although he may be quite a regular in the Test squad, Cheteshwar Pujara has not received too many opportunities in the limited-over formats. However, he is looking set to put an end to all of this by striving to make it to the World Twenty20 squad.

Pujara has been simply brilliant in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy as he has 232 runs at a fine average of 46.40 and a strike of just under 118. The Saurashtra batsman has scored 3 half-centuries and quite surprisingly hit as many as 9 sixes, something not many expect him to do.

Cheteshwar Pujara’s best performance in the tournament was a blistering 81 off 55 balls against Jammu & Kashmir, which helped Saurashtra win by 73 runs. With the World Twenty20 not too far away, Pujara could not have timed his performance any better.