'Bad days build better days' - Nitish Rana shares cryptic post after being snubbed from India's T20I squad for West Indies tour

After announcing the Tests and ODI squads a few days back, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced a 15-man squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series against the West Indies on July 5, Wednesday.

Youngster Yashasvi Jaiswal, who had a phenomenal Indian Premier League (IPL) season this year, has found a place in the side. It is important to note that the Mumbai batter has also been picked in the Test squad. In this year's IPL, Jaiswal scored 625 runs in 14 games at an average of 48.08 and a strike rate of 163.61. Avesh Khan has been recalled to the Indian side after a long time. Bengal pacer Mukesh Kumar, who played his first IPL season in 2023, has found a place.

However, among some of the notable absentees, Nitish Rana's name pops up. The left-handed batter from Delhi had a career-best IPL season in 2023, scoring 413 runs in 14 matches, at an average of 31.77 and a strike rate of 140.96. Rana also led Kolkata Knight Riders this year in the absence of Shreyas Iyer. The 29-year-old posted a cryptic note on his social media handle that read:

"Bad days build better days."

🧘 pic.twitter.com/UzJDMQiSPh

— Nitish Rana (@NitishRana_27) July 5, 2023

The talented left-hander has played two T20Is and a solitary ODI so far. His last appearance for India came almost two years ago. Rana had a fine Syed Mushtaq Ali season as well but it seems that his performances couldn't impress the selectors.

Tilak Varma gets maiden call-up

Nitish Rana might not have been picked for India's T20I side, but another southpaw, Tilak Varma, did make the cut. The Mumbai Indians batter, who is just 20 years old, has been a reliable player for the five-time IPL champions. In 25 IPL games, Varma has scored 740 runs at an average of 38.95 and a strike rate of 144.53.

India will play five T20Is against the West Indies. First of them will be played at Tarouba, Trinidad on August 3. The following two will be played in Guyana while the last two T20Is will be held in Lauderhill, Florida.