Indian Players Who Might Have Played Their Last T20 World Cup

Suryakumar Yadav for India - (Source: AFP)

On Sunday, March 8,  India scripted history as the Men in Blue lifted their third T20 World Cup title. In a one-sided affair, the Suryakumar Yadav-led side beat New Zealand by 96 runs to become the most successful team in the history of the tournament.

It was a collaborative effort, and every individual performed their role well. It was an emotional moment for all, especially for a few, as they knew that the recently concluded tournament might have been their last for India. 

Therefore, this article will shed light on three Indian cricketers who might have played their last T20 World Cup despite contributing to the Men in Blue’s success.

Indian players unlikely to play another T20 World Cup

1. Suryakumar Yadav

Suryakumar Yadav joined Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni to become the 3rd skipper to lead Men in Blue to the T20 World Cup silverware. The 35-year-old has been brilliant as captain, but has equally struggled as a batter. Notably, even before the start of the tournament, there were cries to leave the right-handed batter out of the tournament.

Also Read: Arshdeep Singh Pulls Suryakumar Yadav Aside, Then Pushes Him At New Zealand Players

SKY started the event on a high with an 84-run knock against the USA. However, the 35-year-old struggled in the rest of the tournament. The India skipper scored 242 runs in nine innings, averaging 30.25. More importantly, SKY flopped in key games and amassed just 11 runs in knockouts for India.

Now, with age not on his side, India might look to move ahead with a new leader for the next T20 cycle. SKY will turn 38 by the next edition in Australia, and his batting form is also a key reason why the right-handed batter might not return for the 2028 T20 World Cup.

2. Mohammed Siraj

Mohammed Siraj was not part of India's plans before the tournament. The right-arm seamer came in as a replacement for injured Harshit Rana. The 31-year-old played just a solitary game, which was the tournament opener against USA, where he picked up a three-wicket haul.

India want Siraj to focus on ODIs and Tests, which is why his T20I return is unlikely. Therefore, the 31-year-old has most likely played his last T20I as he will fall out of the scheme of things once Harshit Rana returns to the setup.

For the unversed, Mohammed Siraj did not play a single T20I game for India from their 2024 to 2026 T20 World Cup cycle before the USA match.

3. Varun Chakaravarthy

A difficult and debatable one, but it seems Varun Chakaravarthy has also played his last. The right-arm spinner ended the tournament as the leading wicket-taker with 14 scalps. However, he had a terrible second half and picked up just 5 wickets in the last five innings. Further, he gave away 225 runs in these five innings, prompting fans to demand his ouster from the team. 

Also, Varun will turn 37 by the next edition, which makes his place in the team for 2028 T20 World Cup difficult.

India also have the option of Kuldeep Yadav and it is likely that the India management might go ahead with the left-arm spinner as their primary choice in the next cycle.

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