The Champions Trophy squad for the Indian team has been announced earlier today and it has raised quite a few eyebrows. While the team looks good on paper, it is one of the weakest teams in the Champions Trophy this year if we consider form and fitness. Ashwin will be coming off a sports hernia injury. Ravindra Jadeja, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane and skipper Virat Kohli have all been woefully out of form. Shikhar Dhawan’s inclusion is the most shocking as he has been consistently inconsistent ever since the last Champions Trophy in 2013. Here we look at Five SURPRISING EXCLUSIONS from India’s Champions Trophy squad.
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5) DINESH KARTHIK
Dinesh Karthik is someone who has always been an ‘almost there’ man of Indian cricket. He was about to become a permanent wicket keeper before MS Dhoni stormed the international scene in 2003. Fast forward to 2013 and Karthik made a spectacular comeback into the Champions Trophy team on the back of some brilliant performances in the IPL and the domestic season. He failed to cement his position as a pure batsman and has been out of the team ever since.
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However, this time around, in spite of good performance in the Ranji season and also, in the IPL where he has scored 321 runs in 12 matches at an average of over 40 and a strike rate of 139.56 with 2 crucial 50s. He could have been given a spot in the team as a backup for MS Dhoni so that Kedar Jadhav could play as a spinning all-rounder in case of an injury to Dhoni.
4) SHARDUL THAKUR
Shardul Thakur is a name that has been doing the rounds in the Indian cricketing circle for the past year. He has been impeccable with the ball and his swinging abilities earned Thakur a call up to the Indian Test team for the tour of West Indies. However, he did not get his debut. He has impressed one and all in the domestic season with his huge stock of variations.
In the final of the Ranji Trophy in 2015-16, he scalped 8 wickets against Saurashtra to win Mumbai the 2015-16 Ranji Trophy. Even in the 2016-17 season, Shardul was right on the money always which helped him perform well in the IPL as well where he plays for the Rising Pune Supergiant. The highlight of his IPL season has been the 3 wickets he picked up against Delhi Daredevils in a crucial encounter. He could have been picked as his pace and bounce would be effective in the English conditions. He might have made it if Shami had not recovered from his injury.
3) KULDEEP YADAV
Kuldeep Yadav, India’s first chinaman bowler, has made a mark in international cricket in the only Test match that he had played against Australia. He has been a wily bowler with a huge number of variations which he has picked up from a host of legends like Brad Hogg and Shane Warne. He played a defining role in the final Test and has also been really good with the ball for the KKR in this year’s IPL.
Kuldeep would have been a good choice as he can bowl well even on seaming tracks like those in UK. He has proved that on the Eden Gardens track in this IPL. He has picked up 9 wickets in 10 matches at an economy of just over 8. He could have been the unknown weapon for the Men in Blue in difficult conditions. With Ashwin coming off an injury and Jadeja in some poor form, Kuldeep would have been a great addition to the squad.
2) RISHABH PANT
This young man has been in the form of his life right from when he hit the fastest century in the Ranji Trophy followed by the youngest triple centurion in Ranji Trophy. He has carried his form into the IPL where he has played a couple of scintillating knocks, the latest being against the Gujarat Lions at Delhi where he scored 97 runs and took his team across the line. He has hit 281 runs in 11 matches at a strike rate of 172.39 hitting 20 fours and 20 sixes.
He has been aggressive and unapologetic in his approach showing that he is the future of Indian cricket. To see his spot being taken by his senior, Shikhar Dhawan, would be extremely disappointing for Pant. He is one man who has done all the things right and is extremely unlucky to miss out on a berth.
1) GAUTAM GAMBHIR
This 35 year old man has seen it all. He has won India the finals World T20 2007 and the ICC World Cup 2011 on his own. Never given his due recognition, Gambhir has been a silent warrior. He has been there with the Indian team during all its highs and lows. His grit and determination never fails to amaze us. He has performed and given his 100% for any team that he has played for be it India, Delhi or KKR. He is probably the best captain in India at the moment. When he got his chance to make a comeback in the New Zealand Test series, he came back after injuring his shoulder and batted through the pain and scored a critical 50. If this is not the dedication and will power that the selectors want, it is be difficult to understand what will Gauti need to do to get back into the team.
He is of the same age as Yuvraj and Dhoni so age cannot be a factor here. He has played extremely well in the Ranji season scoring centuries which helped him make a comeback to the Indian Test team. In this IPL, Gambhir has been absolutely superb with the bat scoring scoring 425 runs in 12 matches at an average of 47.22 and a strike rate of 132.39 hitting 54 fours thereby showing his class. Compared to Gambhir, Shikhar Dhawan is pale and a very inconsistent player. This decision might not go down too well with the Indian fans who are tired of waiting for Kohli and Co. to give a chance to the KKR captain and are also sick of Dhawan scoring single-digit runs in most matches. It remains to be seen how Dhawan takes up the challenge but most of the people would probably be thinking, “ What more does Gautam Gambhir need to do?”
