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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday announced a 16-member squad for the three-match ODI series against West Indies. Shikhar Dhawan returned to the white-ball setup as he has been named the captain of the side. Meanwhile, Ravindra Jadeja has been named Dhawan’s deputy.
The All-India Selection Committee has decided to rest senior players like Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, and Jasprit Bumrah which seems like a good decision considering the T20 World Cup later this year. However, there were a few surprise exclusions that raised a few eyebrows. Although the squad looks good, it could have been better with two or three more players.
So, here are the three names that were left out of the ODI squad unexpectedly.
1. Hardik Pandya
The first and foremost name that comes to mind when discussing surprising exclusions is Hardik Pandya. Having made an impact in IPL 2022, Pandya made a national comeback straightaway and also impressed with his small but impactful performances against South Africa and Ireland. Pandya also led the Indian side against Ireland in the two-match T20I series which India won 2-0.
With India’s top all-rounder slowly gaining back his rhythm at the highest level, leaving him out of the ODIs against West Indies looks a bit surprising. Selectors may have a plan to only play him in T20Is but that does not look like a better option in the long run. Playing the three ODIs against West Indies might have allowed Pandya to test his bowling fitness.
2. Virat Kohli
Although the Selection Committee decided to rest Virat Kohli, it does not feel like a sensible decision considering Kohli’s dry run. The star batter has gone century-less in more than 121 international innings now. Even in the recently concluded Test against England, Kohli looked scratchy. Giving him a chance to play against West Indies might have allowed Kohli to gain back his rhythm before the all-important T20 World Cup.
3. Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been in and out of the team for quite some time now. If the Selection Committee is considering playing the veteran pacer in the T20 World Cup he must get more and more games to get ready for the big event. Considering his performances against South Africa and Ireland, Bhuvneshwar Kumar should have got a chance against West Indies. This might have also helped the right-arm quick to check his match fitness for the high-intensity games.