10 players who may never play for India again in any format

The Indian team is currently one of the best teams in the world cricket across all formats. Unlike many other teams who dominate just one format, India have been good in all the three for quite some time now. This has been achieved after a lot of unsuccessful tours and chopping and changing the team.

Some players who were once the regulars in the Indian team have been completely discarded now as new talents are emerging from domestic cricket every year. These players, who are in their mid or late thirties, have very remote chances of getting a recall in the Indian team.

Here are 10 players who may never play for India again in any format.

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#10 Manoj Tiwary

Manoj Tiwary

The Bengal batsman was deemed to be a bright talent when he arrived on to the international scene in 2007-08. Tiwary scored his maiden hundred against West Indies at Chennai and scored 65 in an ODI against Sri Lanka in 2012. These two innings remain the only highlights of his international career.

Unfortunately, he was not given enough chances to break into the Indian side even when his performances made a case for himself. Tiwary, now without an IPL contract, may not ever represent India again.

#9 Ashok Dinda

Ashok Dinda

Ashok Dinda was among the several Indian pacers that ruled domestic cricket but could not survive the rigours of the international standards and faded away from the scene soon. Dinda was given a number of opportunities in the 2012-13 period but could not deliver.

His death bowling left a lot to be desired. Dinda's last appearance came in January 2013 and he may not get a taste of international cricket again. His international career lasted for 13 ODIs and 9 T20Is.

#8 Irfan Pathan

Irfan Pathan

Irfan Pathan's career did not go according to the plans which remains Indian's cricket biggest loss in the last decade. Making debut at a tender age in 2003, Irfan was regular in the Indian squad for 5 years and then made sporadic appearances.

His last game for India came six years ago in July 2012. Irfan has not played a Test match after the age of 23. At this stage of his career, an international comeback seems impossible. He has featured in 29 Tests, 120 ODIS and 24 T20Is for India in his career.

#7 Yusuf Pathan

Yusuf Pathan

The hard-hitting batsman from Baroda had a career full of false promise and unfulfilled potential. Pathan broke his way into the Indian side in the 2007 World T20 and became a hero during the 2008 edition of the IPL.

Pathan cemented his place in the Indian side after a blitzkrieg hundred against New Zealand at Bangalore and another one at the Centurion against South Africa. However, those two knocks remain the only ones worth remembering of Yusuf Pathan and he lost his place from the team after a flop show at the 2011 World Cup.

Today, Yusuf does not stand a chance of a national comeback.

#6 R Vinay Kumar

Vinay Kumar

Vinay Kumar was one among the many failed pacers that India tried in the 2011-12 period. He lacked pace and was only effective when there was a little bit of swing. He played 31 ODIs and 9 T20Is without making a significant impact.

His biggest weaknesses were his inability to keep the runs down and contain the batsmen. In his last ODI appearance for India, he went for more than 100 runs in his spell and that was it for his international career.

With India's current pace battery being the strongest, there seems no room for Vinay anymore.

#5 Amit Mishra

Amit Mishra

Amit Mishra was a crafty leg-spinner who deserved to play more for India. His skill in bowling googlies and flighting the ball was hard to counter. Mishra played only 21 tests and 36 ODIs for India. In his last ODI, he has picked up a fifer against New Zealand at Vishakhapatnam.

During the 2011-2015 period, India mostly preferred Ashwin and Jadeja as the frontline spinners and Mishra was often sidelined. With age not on his side, it is safe to say that Mishra may not represent India again.

#4 Stuart Binny

Stuart Binny

Stuart Binny was fast-tracked into the Indian team after his IPL 2013 performances to end India's long wait of finding a fast-bowling all-rounder. Clearly, he was not the man for the job but he had his moments in his short international career.

His sensational spell of 6/4 against Bangladesh was the only thing to remember and Binny failed to provide penetration either with the bat or with the ball. Binny was discarded when Hardik Pandya emerged and it looks unlikely that he will play international cricket again.

#3 Varun Aaron

Varun Aaron

Varun Aaron was unique among all the Indian pacers as he showed the ability to click 140 kph consistently. When the Indians thought they finally found a tearaway quick, Aaron showed the tendency to break down with injuries.

Aaron did not have control over his line and length and as a result, his extra pace brought about his further downfall. He used to get hit for a lot of runs and was poor at the death. Aaron played only 9 Tests and 9 ODIs for India.

Today, when India have a crop of young bowlers who can bowl with control, they are unlikely to turn to Aaron again.

#2 Harbhajan Singh

Harbhajan Singh

The veteran off-spinner has regularly been absent from the Indian team after the 2011 World Cup triumph and has made appearances here and there. His 2015 comeback was the last and it does not look like there would be another.

Harbhajan, currently 37 years of age, showed a lack of wicket-taking abilities and lost his magic in recent years. He is not playing first-class cricket these days. It is highly unlikely that he will be seen in the Indian team jersey again.

#1 Yuvraj Singh

Yuvraj Singh

Yuvraj Singh, one of the greatest ODI players that India has produced, saw a cruel twist in his career after suffering from cancer in 2012. Thereafter, Yuvraj was never the same although he did manage to hold on to his place in the Indian team for a couple of years after that.

His last comeback in the Indian team in 2017 looked promising but did not last long. Yuvraj once again faded into the oblivion because of his lack of fitness and has not played after that. The southpaw is almost out of India's World Cup 2019 plans and he might never represent India again.