5 Indian Players Who Might Have Played Their Last ODI Match

Earlier this year, Team India locked horns with their arch-rivals England at home. Two of the most dominant sides in world cricket locked horns in high-voltage competition. While the scoreline suggests that the Men in Blue a sweep for the Men in Blue, the visiting side ensured each game went down to the wire. The young Indian team has grown in leaps and bounds under the captaincy of skipper Virat Kohli.

The team has embodied a fearless brand of cricket, and the inception of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has helped youngsters gain plenty of experience and exposure to top-flight cricket. While the rise of youngsters in the squad and their ability to absorb pressure has been a highlight, it has jeopardized the careers of several prominent players.

Here, we take a look at five players who may never make a comeback to the ODI set-up:

#5 Dinesh Karthik

The wicket-keeper batsman has been in and out of the national squad ever since making his debut in 2004. In the 2019 World Cup, Dinesh Karthik was the second wicket-keeper in the squad. However, his inconsistent run with the bat combined with the emergence of Rishabh Pant and K.L. Rahul as wicket-keeping options meant he was dropped from the side.

The 36-year-old struggled to score runs in IPL 2021, amassing just 123 runs in seven league matches. Aside from his age, his lack of consistent performances has also been one of the reasons for his ouster from the team.

#4 Ishant Sharma

The lanky Indian pacer, Ishant Sharma played in an ODI match for the last time in 2016 against Australia. Despite being one of India’s spearheads in Test cricket, Ishant has failed to create any impact in white-ball cricket. One of the significant areas of concern for him during his stint with the team was the lack of consistency with the ball. He was often guilty of conceding too many runs, resulting in his downfall.

#3 Ajinkya Rahane

The Indian deputy skipper in Tests, Ajinkya Rahane has fallen out of contention fallen off the radar in the past couple of years in the ODI format. Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan have emerged as a formidable opening pair after many memorable knocks together. One of the major chinks in Rahane’s armor is his below-par strike rate. Moreover, the rise of young openers in K.L. Rahul and Prithvi Shaw has not helped Rahane’s cause in the ODIs.

#2 Kedar Jadhav

Kedar Jadhav was the mainstay of the Indian team till 2019, but his dip in form post the 2019 World Cup has;t worked in his favor at all. He was once touted to play the finisher’s role but his inconsistent performances and lack of mobility on the field led to his downfall. Unfortunately for him, injuries have also marred his prime years as a player. His lack of form with his bat and fitness concerns will make it extremely hard for him to make an international comeback.

#1 Ravichandran Ashwin

The premier Indian spinner, Ravichandran Ashwin last featured in the blue jersey in 2017. While he has been one of the stalwarts in Tests, he hasn’t been able to deliver teh same goods in the shorter formats. One of the concerns for the Indian team in ODIs was the lack of breakthroughs in the middle overs.

The spin duo of Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja failed to take wickets consistently, leading to the opposition piling up mammoth scores. With T20 cricket and the IPL is a platform for young spinners, the likes of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzuvendra Chahal have earned a name for themselves. The duo provides the team with a different skillset and are capable of picking vital wickets to dent the opposition.