3 players who fell under the selection radar for very short duration

To represent the side at an International level is always a dream for a cricketer. Right from grade cricket till domestic tournaments, the performance of a player matters a lot to earn an International call-up. However, in recent times, the cash-rich Indian Premier League became one of the selection criteria.

Even if the player represented the Indian side in blues/whites, several factors such as consistency, ability to handle pressure decide whether the player is retained for the upcoming series. The selectors have a lot of trust on any new face before naming them as a part of the squad but have all of them under their radar for a longer period of time? Certainly no.

Let’s now look at three of the Indian players who enjoyed a very little time in the Indian test squad

#1 Jayant Yadav

As a surprise, he was named in the home tour of England in 2016. When most of the fans did not have any clue about this youngster, he announced his arrival to the international arena in style. Having scored a century in his second appearance, his partnership alongside Virat at Wankhede still remains fresh in the minds of cricket enthusiasts.

Jayant also gave his best assisting Ashwin and Jadeja as a third spinner and played a vital role in clinching the series 4-0. He amassed over 221 runs and bagged 9 wickets to his bag. While everyone predicted that this series provided us another all-rounder in the longest format of the game, things undergone a phase shift.

His last game happened to be the first Test against Australia at Pune where India lost horribly by 333 runs. He played his only ODI against New Zealand at Vizag (same venue as his Test debut) in that special game where Indian players sported their mother’s names on their jerseys. However, despite his splendid efforts he wasn’t even considered by selectors thereafter.

He has now been named the skipper of the emerging players Asia cup in December. Jayant will be looking forward to creating an impact thus regaining his spot in the side.

#2 Pankaj Singh

England v India: 4th Investec Test - Day One

After registering a victory at Lord’s in 2014-15 tour, the Indian side thought that the presence of another seamer alongside Ishant Sharma can make wonders for the upcoming matches. Pankaj was added to the squad for his wonderful outing in domestic tournaments.

He made his debut in the third Test at Rosebowl. While most of the Indian fans thought that his presence can help the side to register consecutive victories at England, he didn't live up to the hype. He went wicket-less giving away a truckload of runs as India lost the match by 266 runs.

Though he picked the prized wicket of Joe Root, it came after 416 deliveries in the fourth Test. He added just two wickets to his column in his records and wasn’t preferred by selectors anymore. The side registered three consecutive losses after Lord’s magic and also marked an end to his Test chances.

#3 Karn Sharma

A performer who had the capability of turning a T20 match in his side’s favour, Karn Sharma was added to the Indian squad for the Australian down under 2014-15. As Dhoni missed the first match at Adelaide due to an injury, captain Kohli preferred Karn Sharma over Ashwin.

Though he picked two wickets in each of the innings, his figures weren’t frugal (2/143 and 2/95). It happened to be his only Test till date and he hasn’t received many opportunities in limited overs too. The Test is still known for twin centuries by Virat where India fell short of 48 runs for a memorable victory.

Karn Sharma never fell under the radar of selectors since his last international outing in 2014 where he represented India in all formats of the game.

Nonetheless, Karn Sharma has been the lucky charm for IPL franchises as he has been a part of the winning side for the past three years.

Though there are several other players who failed to receive a call for further matches, they were given enough chances before being shunned by the selectors.