IND vs AFG: 5 Players Who Will Be Sidelined From India's T20 World Cup Squad If They Don't Perform In Afghanistan T20Is

IND vs AFG T20I series is the next campaign for Team India after the ongoing South Africa tour. India and Afghanistan will battle against each other in three T20I matches during the series, which takes place in India. IND vs AFG T20I matches will take place on January 11, 14, and 17.

IND vs AFG series will set the battleground for ICC T20 World Cup 2024. The ICC tournament will take place in June in the West Indies and the United States. Hence, Team India needs to start preparations for the World Cup with the T20I series against Afghanistan.

The IND vs AFG series will provide a superb opportunity for many players to showcase their might to the selectors. They can also grab a spot in the World Cup squad. Similarly, those who fail to perform can also lose places in the squad. Below we talk about 5 Indian players who will be sidelined from the World Cup squad if they don’t perform in Afghanistan T20Is.

IND vs AFG: 5 Players Who Will Be Sidelined From India’s T20 World Cup Squad If They Don’t Perform In Afghanistan T20Is

5. Shubman Gill

Shubman Gill is the first player on this list. Gill has been a wonderful batsman in the longer formats but when it comes to T20Is, he has been quite unsuccessful. For instance, in the previous T20I series against South Africa, the right-handed batter played 2 games and got out for a duck and 8 runs.

Gill averages 26.0 across 13 T20I games this year, with 1 century and 1 half-century. Notably, the opening batter got out for single digits in 9 T20I games out of 13 this year. Hence, the Gujarat Titans skipper needs to pull up his socks in the shortest format during the IND vs AFG series.

Also Read: Not Rohit Sharma!! Here Are The Players Who Will Captain India vs Afghanistan In T2OI Series

4. KL Rahul

KL Rahul has not played any T20I match since the start of this year. However, with Rishabh Pant’s absence, he became a crucial member of the team who could take the keeper’s role. Rahul lost his opening slot to Shubman Gill in 2023.

However, with his outstanding batting shows in some games, he grabbed a spot in the middle-order. The right-handed batsman was part of crucial tournaments like the Asia Cup 2023 and the ICC World Cup 2023. Hence, he can also get a spot in ICC World Cup 2024.

However, Rahul needs to prove his might in the shortest format to selectors. If he fails to deliver in the IND vs AFG T20I series, he might lose his spot to other wicketkeeper batters like Rishabh Pant, Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson, or Jitesh Sharma.

Also Read: IND vs AFG: 3 Indian Players Who Can Retire From T20Is If Not Selected For Afghanistan Series

3. Yuzvendra Chahal

Yuzvendra Chahal has been an unlucky player when it comes to World Cups. Chahal was part of the previous T20I World Cup in 2022 but did not play any match during the tournament. He was expected to get a place in ODI World Cup 2023 and Asia Cup 2023 this year.

However, Kuldeep Yadav bagged the only spot of the spinner in the squad with his magnificent performances in 2023. Chahal also struggled a little in the shortest format in 2023, picking 9 wickets across 9 games at 8.72 economy.

Also, Ravi Bishnoi was a standout performer in the T20I series against Australia recently. The right-arm spinner won the Player of the Series award. Hence, if Chahal is picked in the IND vs AFG T20I series, he needs to prove his prowess in the spin department. Otherwise, he can lose his spot in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.

2. Deepak Chahar

Deepak Chahar has been a regular member of the T20I side since his international debut in July 2018. He was also part of the IND vs AUS T20I series last month but arrived later in the series and played just 1 game, picking 2 wickets. Chahar has been in and out of the national team over the last two years due to injury issues.

The right-arm seamer opted out of the previous T20I series against South Africa due to personal reasons. He played just 1 match in 2023. Now, he might be picked for the IND vs AFG T20I series. However, the CSK pacer needs to perform well to catch the selectors’ attention for the World Cup squad.

Also Read: IND vs AFG: 3 Indian Players Who Can Make Their Debut

1. Mohammed Siraj

Mohammed Siraj is a key member of the side when it comes to Tests and ODIs. However, Siraj is not a primary choice in the shortest format. Siraj played for India in crucial tournaments like the Asia Cup 2023 and ICC World Cup 2023.

The right-arm pacer clinched the top spot in the ICC ODI rankings this year. In the previous series against South Africa, the RCB pacer hunted 1 wicket across 2 games. In the pace department, bowlers like Arshdeep Singh and Mukesh Kumar have earned a name for themselves in T20Is.

Moreover, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and Deepak Chahar are other strong contenders for the World Cup squad. Hence, Siraj has good competition and needs to level up his game when he gets the opportunity in the IND vs AFG T20I series.