Krunal Pandya Responds After Missing Out on India Squad
Krunal Pandya, an all-rounder, hinted to a possible omission from the Indian team after the selection for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan was released.
On September 1, India’s selectors picked a 15-man squad for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, with Shreyas Iyer leading the charge and Tilak Varma serving as his deputy.
The matches will take place on September 13, 15, and 17 at New Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium. Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, and Washington Sundar are all concerned about their fitness following the recent tour of England and will only participate if cleared.
Following the squad announcement, Krunal Pandya resorted to Instagram to confirm his continued participation in the hopes of one day returning to India’s colours.
Why did the selectors keep Axar Patel instead of Krunal Pandya?
Krunal Pandya selection in the Indian team has grown in popularity following two outstanding seasons in the IPL with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, when he played an important role in balancing the side as they won two IPL titles.
He has taken 31 wickets in two seasons and made strong contributions with the bat. Krunal Pandya five-year hiatus from international cricket appears to have worked against him, regardless of his IPL performance.
Axar Patel remained in the squad despite his mediocre returns in Ireland and England. He took two wickets in two T20I appearances against Ireland and another two in four outings against England, taking his total to four wickets in seven matches.
Despite such figures, the selectors chose continuity over recall, maintaining Axar, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Ravi Bishnoi as the major spin options, with Washington Sundar also in the mix depending on health.
Which players will undergo fitness testing before the Afghanistan series begins?
Bumrah sustained a knee injury during India’s ODI series in England, and his eligibility for the Afghanistan games is entirely dependent on the results of his medical examination.
Rana’s situation is also unknown after suffering a Grade 1 hamstring injury in the third T20I of the England trip, while Sundar injured his hamstring in the third ODI of the same series. All three are listed in the squad, with an asterisk indicating conditional selection.
Hardik Pandya was also absent from the squad due to a leg strain that delayed his return to competitive cricket. He last played for the Mumbai Indians on May 24, and his most recent India appearance was in the T20 World Cup final on March 8.
With four players ill or conditionally picked, the XI that takes the pitch in New Delhi may alter significantly from the team published.
India squad for the T20I series against 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*
