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Tilak Varma and India-A (Source: AFP)
India-A ended the Tri-Nation A Series 2026 on a high note by defeating Sri Lanka-A by 66 runs in the final at Dambulla on June 21.
The tournament will be remembered for 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's stunning performance in the final, an explosive 29-ball 94 at a strike-rate of 324.14. India A posted a massive 377/9 and then bowled out Sri Lanka A for 311 to lift the trophy.
While the series produced several positives for Indian cricket, it also highlighted some concerns. A few players who were expected to strengthen their case for a place in India’s ODI squad failed to make a strong impact.
In this article, let’s take a look at three players who may have fallen behind in the race for future ODI selection after the Sri Lanka A Tri-Series.
3 Players Who Missed A Big Chance To Impress BCCI Selectors
1. Tilak Varma
- India A captain Tilak Varma led his side decently in the tournament and finished as the second-highest run-scorer. He scored 275 runs in five innings at an impressive average of 55.00.
- On paper, those numbers look excellent, however, the biggest concern was his strike rate of 74.93. In modern ODI cricket, teams expect middle-order batters to score quickly and maintain momentum through the middle overs.
- While Tilak consistently contributed runs, he often scored at a pace that may not meet the requirements of the current Indian ODI setup.
- The star player last played an ODI match for India against South Africa in 2023-24. In that series, he scored 63 runs in three innings at an average of 31.50 and a strike rate of just 57.27.
- To secure a permanent place in the ODI set-up for the future and impress the BCCI selectors, Tilak may need to improve his scoring rate significantly.
Ayush Badoni
- Ayush Badoni entered the tournament with an excellent chance to strengthen his case as a batting all-rounder in the India's ODI selection.
- However, he was unable to make a significant impact. The right-hander scored only 39 runs in three innings at an average of 13.00 and a strike rate of 72.22.
- With the ball, he took four wickets at an economy rate of 5.04; however, his overall performance was not convincing enough to stand out.
- Badoni had received his maiden call-up to India's ODI squad earlier this year during the home series against New Zealand. He was brought in as a replacement for the injured Washington Sundar but did not get a chance to make his debut.
- This tournament was an opportunity to remind selectors of his potential and push his case for future selection in the ODI setup.
- As a player capable of contributing with both bat and ball, he could have emerged as an option in the all-rounder category in place of Sundar.
Anshul Kamboj
- Fast bowler Anshul Kamboj also had a disappointing campaign in the recently concluded Sri Lanka Tri-Nation A Series. The pacer managed only two wickets in three innings while conceding runs at an economy rate of 7.07.
- For a bowler hoping to break into India’s ODI plans, those numbers are unlikely to create a definite chance.
- India's current ODI strategy also makes Kamboj's challenge tougher. The team management has increasingly preferred bowlers with genuine pace or proven success across formats, so Anshul Kamboj has likely missed a good chance for India’s ODI plans.
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