5 Indian players who might not get a chance in Playing XI on the Sri Lanka tour

The BCCI has decided that a second-string Indian squad will be traveling to the Lankan shores for an ODI series as well as a T20I series. With the primary squad traveling to England, many players missed out. This series will provide an opportunity for them to make a comeback into the squad. The fans are awaiting a healthy competition within the Indian players. 

Indian team has been so competitive and strong that they have managed to make two teams at the same time. With many international teams failing to build up a strong playing XI, this is a major achievement for Captain Kohli. As he captains the squad for the WTC Final, he will be expecting the senior members of the second-string squad to step up. Especially the captain Shikhar Dhawan and his deputy, Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

As the Sri Lankas are getting weaker every year, this is a great chance to give the youngsters an experience of the international stage. Many experienced IPL campaigners who were uncapped have been given a chance too. However, it is a harsh truth that not everyone will get a chance. Here are

5 Indians who might miss out on playing their first game in the series

5. Varun Chakravarthy

Varun Chakravarthy is one of the TNPL players who has achieved success in the IPL. He has a bowling action that is similar to Sri Lankan mystery spinner Ajanta Mendis. Varun can bowl a lot of dot balls in his quota of four overs. During his time at TNPL, he had bowled a spell of 4-1-9-2, and he was instrumental in one of the unsung heroes behind Madurai’s winning triumph. 

Varun has played 21 IPL games so far. In those games, he has picked 25 wickets with an economy rate of 7.35. Adding on, he averages 24.4 and has a bowling strike rate of 19.92. Last year, he took a five-wicket haul which caught the attention of the selectors. 

But, injuries have been a roadblock for Varun. He was unable to join the team in Australia. But, this time he has been picked by the selection committee. But, with Kuldeep and Chahal looking to cement a place in the national side, Varun might fail to make it to the squad. Adding on, the presence of two spinners who have played the World Cup makes it even more difficult for him.

4. Krishnappa Gowtham

K Gowtham is an all-rounder who has been picked up by the selectors because of his ability to smash the ball cleanly. He was a part of India A squad that hosted the Aussies in 2017. During a game against the Aussies, he smashed 74 runs from 68 balls. Since then, he has been a popular name in the domestic circuit. 

Well, the IPL franchises have paid a huge amount to include him in their squad. Although he failed to get into the playing XI of the Mumbai squad, he provided balance to the Rajasthan squad. Even when an international star like Ben Stokes was struggling, Gowtham managed to cover up for him. Recently, in the 2021 auctions, he was picked up by Chennai Super Kings. But, he has not played a match during the first half of the tournament. 

He is one of the surprising picks in this tour. But, he may not be able to make it to the squad as the Pandya brothers have been phenomenal for the team. Adding on, Krunal and Hardik provide better services with the bat. If India manages to win the series early on, he might get a chance to play for the team.

3. Nitish Rana

Nitish Rana has always been one of the brightest prospects in Indian cricket. But, he has been unable to get into the squad because of his luck. Well, it is difficult for anyone to replace the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and many more to name. He has been a big name in the domestic circuit and has been consistently overlooked by the selectors till the tour of Sri Lanka in 2021. 

Rana has been a consistent batsman in IPL. In 67 games, he averages 27.76. With 1638 runs to his name, he is one of the premier batsmen in the KKR squad. Adding on, he can bowl some part-time off-spin too. 

Talking about his bowling career, Rana has picked 7 wickets so far. He has a decent economy rate of 8.27. But, with the presence of many youngsters and star all-rounders, he might not get a game. However, he could be picked during the final games where the result of the series would have already been decided.

2. Devdutt Padikkal

“Class”, “Confidence”, “Effective” are some terms that define Devdutt Padikkal. The youngster from Karnataka has been one of the most effective batsmen from the RCB squad. His calmness and ability to play big innings have resolved RCB’s troubles with the opening combination. Devdutt has also been in sublime touch in the domestic tournaments. 

In 21 IPL games, he has scored 668 runs. He has a healthy average of 33.4 in IPL. Apart from that, he has an excellent strike rate of 131.76 in the toughest T20 league. Recently, during the first half of the IPL, he scored an excellent century against Rajasthan Royals.

There is no doubt that Devdutt is the future of the Indian cricket team. But with Shaw and Dhawan in the side, he might miss out on playing for the team. The upcoming series is also a comeback one for Shaw. Hence, as Shaw is in the form of his life and he might get the chance ahead of Devdutt.

1. Ruturaj Gaikwad

Just like Devdutt, Ruturaj Gaikwad is another batsman whose game revolves around his solid technique. He might not be the most powerful batsman in the game, but his ability to time the ball and score at a decent rate makes him an effective batsman. Ruturaj Gaikwad has filled the slot which was left by Shane Watson. He played some impressive knocks during the latter half of the thirteenth season of the IPL.

Gaikwad has played 13 matches for CSK till now. With a run tally of 400, he is one of the consistent batsmen from the CSK camp. He averages 36.36 and has been scoring at a decent strike rate of 124.61. Adding on, he is a safe fielder and can guard the boundaries during the death overs. 

But, he might miss out on playing for India during this tour. This is mainly because the opening slot will be filled by Dhawan and Shaw. But, if the management decides to give him another slot, he might get a chance to play. This is very unlikely to happen. So, Gaikwad will have to wait for some more time to play for India.