Four Indian Players who are no more in the scheme of things for the World Cup

The Indian squad to play the first two one-day internationals against the West Indies has been announced. Judging by the squad selection, it is now quite clear that four Indian players are no more in the scheme of things for the World Cup.

Otherwise, these players would have been given a final chance to play against the West Indies to prove themselves. Ironically, all these four players are middle-order batsmen, a spot where the Indian team has the biggest issue ahead of the World Cup.

Here are those 4 players:

1. Suresh Raina

Raina - His experience will be missed

Suresh Raina is an experienced one-day player having represented India in 226 matches. He was a member of the 2011 World Cup winning team. Raina, along with Yuvraj, was instrumental in India winning the quarter-final against Australia. Even in the semi-final against Pakistan, Raina made a crucial 36 not out and took the Indian total past 250.

In the World Cup 2015 in Australia, against Pakistan, Raina made 74 off 56 balls with the help of 5 fours and 3 sixes. Against Zimbabwe, Raina scored a fine hundred. In the quarter-final against Bangladesh, Raina scored 65 off 57 balls and added 122 runs with Rohit Sharma.

Suresh Raina’ s form dipped after the World Cup in Australia. Raina managed to score just 227 runs in 10 innings at an average of 23. Due to his woeful form, he was in and out of the Indian team in this period of 3 years.

When Ambati Rayadu couldn’t make the tour to England, Raina got a wonderful opportunity to prove himself, but he scored 47 runs in 2 innings. Raina last played in England in July 2018. When Rayadu came back for the Asia Cup, Raina was left out.

Apart from an experienced middle-order batsman, Raina is a useful off-spinner like Kedar Jadhav and a wonderful fielder. But of late, Raina has not shown the same kind of energy in the field as before. Now that Raina has not been selected for the West Indies series, it is safe to assume that Raina won’t play his third World Cup in England.

2. Ajinkya Rahane

Rahane could be ideal on English conditions

In the 2015 World Cup in Australia, apart from scoring a brilliant 79 off 60 balls against South Africa, Ajinkya Rahane has not done anything extraordinary. But Rahane met success immediately after the World Cup in the South Africa series when he had scores of 60,51,4,45 & 87.

Against the West Indies in West Indies, Rahane made 62,103,72,60 & 39. This was by far Rahane’s best one-day series. Even against Australia in India in 2017, Rahane had a good run with scores of 5, 55, 70, 53 & 61. In recent times, Rahane has failed only in the series against South Africa in South Africa.

Rahane has scored 808 runs in the last 20 innings at an average of 40. Not bad by any standards. But where Rahane failed was in forcing the pace and being a match winner. At times, Rahane struggled to rotate the strike. Though a safe fielder, Rahane doesn’t bowl which diminishes his utility value to the team.

Rahane could have been the solution to India’s middle-order muddle in one-day matches. Rahane could be a useful batsman at No 4 and could bring stability to the Indian middle-order, more so on English pitches. Rahane is the ideal batsman to come in when there is an early loss of wickets. With his sound technique, the odds of Rahane coming good in English conditions are quite high than any other middle-order batsmen in the current Indian team. But the selectors may have decided to keep him out of the fray for the World Cup.

3. Dinesh Karthik

Dinesh Karthik

Dinesh Karthik should not have any complaints. In recent times, he was given sufficient opportunity to prove himself. But Karthik failed to do justice to his talent. He hasn’t played any match-winning innings in one-day matches in recent times. In his last 32 one day innings, Karthik has crossed 50 only twice. In his last 20 innings, Karthik has scored 487 runs and remained not out on 10 occasions boosting his average to 49. But Karthik failed to click when his team needed him the most as in the Asia Cup final.

The scintillating form shown by Rishabh Pant with the bat left the selectors with no other option except to drop Karthik. With Dhoni likely to play till the World Cup, Dinesh Karthik might have finished playing his last one day innings for India.

4. Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer is quite unfortunate to miss out

Shreyas Iyer has represented India in only 6 one day matches and has batted in 5 innings. He has scored two fifties in those 5 innings and a total aggregate of 210 runs at an average 0f 42 with the highest score of 88 against Sri Lanka. He scored 30 in his last one day innings. Quite an impressive record for a beginner. But for some strange reasons, Shreyas Iyer was not continued in the Indian middle-order.

With little more experience, Iyer could be the finisher India are searching for in the middle-order. In the IPL, Shreyas Iyer has played the role of the finisher to perfection. Now that the selectors have decided to go with Manish Pandey with very little time left for the World Cup, Iyer and India miss out on a golden opportunity.

Finally

With hardly 15 matches to go for the World Cup, the selectors won’t indulge in too much chopping and changing. The selected players should be given sufficient opportunity before the World Cup to get back into good form which means the above mentioned 4 players are no more in the race.