5 IPL stars who should have represented India in T20Is but never got a chance

When IPL started its journey in 2008, nobody imagined that it will become the pipeline for the future generation of Indian cricket. Slowly it has transformed into an exhibition where every country can reap the rewards by projecting their new ideas, talented youngsters. Even veterans can sharpen their skills. Now it is the best platform for the players to showcase their T20 skills.

However, the ultimate goal is to produce quality T20 goods for the Indian team. So far it has stayed true to its model as the Men in Blue has got many future stars from the league. Most of them have become established stars of the national set-up. Surprisingly some Indian players have not received their T20I cap even after playing a handful of games. Though they have performed well they have not been preferred by selectors.

Here is the list of 5 IPL stars who should have represented India in T20Is but never got a chance

1) Suryakumar Yadav

In the last decade or so the country has witnessed various batting talents entertain the cricketing fraternity. All of them have scored truckloads of runs in the domestic circuit. They are also capable of playing in different conditions but very of them can play varied roles according to the needs of the team.

One such player is Suryakumr Yadav who has been an integral part of the Mumbai team in the domestic circuit. He has also been a valuable player for a couple of IPL franchises. Particularly he has piled on more than 400 runs in each of the last two seasons while playing for Mumbai Indians. Before that, he also found decent success with the Kolkata team. Still, he is yet to receive a national call-up.

The Mumbaikar has the required skill set to score freely against fast-bowlers and as well as spinners. He can also play unorthodox shots with ease. Above all, he is a level-headed cricketer who can bat at different positions in the playing XI. Looking at these qualities it is surprising that the right-hander has not crossed the minds of Indian selectors. He would have been a good option for India ‘s middle problems in white-ball cricket.

2) Shreyas Gopal

Over the years, the Indian team has been receiving the services of world-class spinners. Even now they are a lot of prodigious spin commodities in the country. Among them, certain individuals have been delivering match-winning performances regularly for their stateside. They have helped their teams win silverware with their contributions.

One of them is Shreyas Gopal who has been a star performer for Karnataka in the last couple of years. The leggie has also been leading the spin department of the Rajasthan Royals. He has grown leaps and bounds and it is evident from his 2019 IPL heroics. He scalped a total of 20 wickets in 14 games. To go with it his economy rate of 7.2 makes him an invaluable asset.

Gopal can be termed as an attacking bowler as he always looks for wickets. He can deceive high-quality batsmen with his craft. Moreover, he can also chip in with useful runs lower down the order and his athletic fielding is a bonus. Unfortunately, he has not been on the radar of the Indian team management. Currently, he is enjoying the best time of his professional life so the Indian think tank should try to accommodate him in the side.

3) Karun Nair

Since the dawn of this century, India has been constantly producing raw talents in their junior levels of cricket. It has helped the national side in getting the desired results and overcome the transition period smoothly when senior players decide to hang their boots. Especially the Indian domestic infrastructure has been going from strength to strength.

The Karnataka cricketer, Karun Nair emerged out of that system after his awe-inspiring performance in 2014-15 Ranji Trophy. Soon he became a hot property and his IPL journey also took off. He became a batting mainstay for the Delhi franchise and played two complete seasons. Then in 2018 IPL Karun donned the Punjab jersey and scored 300 runs in 13 games. In all, he has gathered around 1500 runs in his IPL career.

The right-hander is a free-flowing batsman and can play shots all around the park. He can take apart any bowling line-up with his attacking game. For all his talent he has even represented India in ODIs and Tests. Surprisingly he has not played a T20I and it is quite odd for a batsman who is known for his shot-making. The selectors should have invested in him as he can pay rich dividends and the prime example is his triple hundred in whites.

4) Shahbaz Nadeem

After the success of MS Dhoni, small-town cricketers started following their passion. Now there are many players who have made it to the national set-up from modest state teams. Still, certain individuals never get their deserved opportunities after churning out consistent performances in the domestic arena.

Sadly it the story of Shahbaz Nadeem as the left-arm spinner has been representing Jharkhand since 2004. He has also been a regular member of the India A teams. In his T20 career, he has played 117 games of which 64 has been IPL ties. He has played for the Delhi franchise in 7 seasons. Though he has only bagged 44 wickets in IPL it is mostly because of his short-run in every edition.

Nadeem has an elusive track record. He is a bowler who can bowl economical spells in middle overs and his control over his art is praiseworthy. Above all, he is a strong character who never gets disheartened while facing tough situations. For all his efforts he deserved an India Cap but luck has not worked in his favor. He may not have the same aura of other off-spinners but he should have been given his due.

5) Rajat Bhatia

Various cricketers play the game for its sheer love. They give their 100% on the field and never wish anything in return. Such cricketers are the real stars of the game and everyone believes that their dreams will always come true. Unfortunately, it is not the case for a Delhi cricketer who has been playing the game for more than two decades.

Yes, it is none other than Rajat Bhatia who is the topic of discussion for the next one minute. The all-rounder is one of the underrated cricketers in Indian cricket history. Very few know that he played every season of IPL from its inaugural year, 2008 to 2017. He was part of the KKR team which lifted the title in 2012 and in that season he scalped 13 wickets with his medium-pace bowling.

Even in his batting he has played useful cameos and has won the games for his team. His numbers will never tell the true story but one can say that he has been a great contributor to the gentlemen’s game. Bhatia is a multi-utility cricketer and he might have a great addition to the Indian team in T20s. His experience would have been really helpful for the youngsters in the side. He waited for a long time but a national call-up never arrived on his doors.