The Board of Control for Cricket in India has announced the team’s World Cup squad. The Indian selectors have sprung some surprises whereas some other players were always going to be first choice players. However, there are some major players who are never going to play the World Cup. Sprotzwiki takes a look at such experienced players who will never play in the quadrennial event.
Five Experienced Indian Players Who Will Never Play in World Cup
Yuvraj Singh
The 2011 World Cup hero dream of once again playing in the ODI showpiece is over. Yuvraj Singh hasn’t performed at a consistent basis in the last three years and he is playing in the fag end of his career. Yuvraj was awarded the Man of the tournament in 2011 World Cup in which he had scored 362 runs and had scalped 15 wickets.
However, Yuvraj hasn’t played any International Cricket in the recent past. He played his last ODI for the India National Cricket Team against the Windies on 30 May 2017. Thus, it has been two years since he has represented the national team. Yuvraj Singh amassed 8701 runs in 304 ODI matches whereas he took 111 wickets in his 50-overs career.
Ambati Rayudu
Ambati Rayudu was really unfortunate to miss out in India’s World Cup 2019 squad. Rayudu had performed decently for the Indian team and he should have been included in the squad. The right-hander had batted at the troublesome number four position. Rayudu has thus far played 55 One Day Internationals in which he has scored 1694 at an impressive average of 47.
However, his name missing in the World Cup squad has left everyone in dilemma.
Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh will also not play in the World Cup event. The off-spinner has been in red hot form in the ongoing Indian Premier League while playing for the Chennai Super Kings. However, the veteran spinner last played in the Indian ODI colours back in 2015 against South Africa.
In fact, Harbhajan Singh isn’t seen playing a lot of domestic circuit for his domestic team, Punjab as he is often seen in the commentary box. The Turbanator scalped 269 wickets in the 236 ODI matches he has played.
Suresh Raina
Suresh Raina had his chances to make the cut into India’s 2019 World Cup squad. However, he could not grab his opportunities for the national team. Furthermore, Raina’s performance hasn’t been up to the mark in the domestic circuit while playing for Uttar Pradesh. Raina played his ODI against England in July 2018.
Suresh Raina has scored 5615 runs in 226 One Day matches at an average of 35.31.
Ishant Sharma
Ishant Sharma has done a good job for the national team in the Test format. However, the lanky fast bowler hasn’t played a lot of white ball format in the recent past and he is not going to have another opportunity to play in the World Cup. In fact, Ishant Sharma has never played for the national team in the 50-overs World Cup.
The Delhi-based fast bowler played his last ODI match in 2016 and he scalped 115 wickets in the 80 matches he played.