All-rounder Krunal Pandya has hinted at a potential snub from returning to the Indian team after the squad for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan was announced.
India's selectors named a 15-member squad on September 1 for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, with Shreyas Iyer leading the side and Tilak Varma serving as his deputy. The matches are scheduled for September 13, 15 and 17 at Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana and Washington Sundar all
carry fitness concerns stemming from the recent tour of England, and will take part only subject to fitness clearances.
Following the announcement of the squad, Krunal took to Instagram to affirm his continuity in hope of one day returning in India colours.
"Hope is still alive," Krunal wrote on an Instagram Story.
Why did the selectors retain Axar Patel ahead of Krunal Pandya?
Calls for Krunal's inclusion in the Indian side have become strong after two stellar seasons in the IPL with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, where he played a key role in balancing the side as they made their way to two IPL titles. He has picked up 31 wickets across two seasons and provided handy contributions with the bat. However, Krunal's five-year absence from international cricket appears to have weighed against him, regardless of his IPL form.
Axar Patel held his place in the squad even though his returns across the Ireland and England assignments were modest. He collected two wickets from his two T20I appearances against Ireland and a further two from four outings against England, bringing his combined tally to four wickets from seven matches. Despite those numbers, the selectors chose continuity over a recall, keeping Axar alongside Varun Chakaravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi as the primary spin options, with Washington Sundar also in the mix subject to fitness.
Which players face fitness tests before the Afghanistan series begins?
Bumrah picked up a knee injury during India's ODI series in England, and his availability for the Afghanistan fixtures depends entirely on the outcome of his medical assessment. Rana's situation is similarly uncertain after he sustained a Grade 1 hamstring strain in the third T20I of that England tour, while Sundar hurt his hamstring in the third ODI of the same series. All three are listed in the squad with an asterisk denoting conditional selection.
Hardik Pandya was also absent from the squad after a leg niggle set back his return to competitive cricket. He had last turned out for Mumbai Indians on May 24 and his most recent India appearance was in the T20 World Cup final on March 8. With four players either injured or conditionally selected, the XI that takes the field in New Delhi could differ considerably from the squad as announced.
India squad for the T20I series vs Afghanistan:
Shreyas Iyer (c), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Tilak Varma (vc), Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy*, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar*, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah*, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana*
(*Subject to fitness clearance)
