Sanju Samson And...? Deserving Players Whom BCCI Ignored For India's ODI Squad vs Afghanistan

Sanju Samson (Source: AFP)In a major update, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the 15-member squad for the upcoming ODI series against Afghanistan on Tuesday. The three-match series will begin on June 14 and continue till June 20. Notably, the squad will be led by Shubman Gill, while Shreyas Iyer has been named vice-captain. Senior players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma also returned to the ODI setup.Even though the India's ODI squad vs Afghanistan features several experienced and young players, there are a few deserving cricketers who missed out despite delivering strong performances in domestic cricket and the IPL. So, let’s take a look at the players who were unlucky to miss a place in India's ODI squad vs AfghanistanIndia's ODI Squad vs Afghanistan: Shubman Gill (C), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav, Gurnoor BrarDeserving Players Who Missed Out From India’s ODI Squad For Afghanistan SeriesDevdutt PadikkalThe biggest surprise from the India's ODI squad vs Afghanistan announcement was Devdutt Padikkal missing out despite an outstanding season across formats. The Karnataka batter has been in excellent form for RCB in IPL 2026. He has scored 412 runs in 12 innings at a brilliant strike rate of 173.11.Along with his IPL performances, Padikkal also impressed heavily in domestic cricket. In the Ranji Trophy 2025-26, he scored 543 runs in 11 innings and played a key role in Karnataka’s journey to the final.Furthermore, the left-handed batter had a memorable Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign. He scored 725 runs in 9 innings at an incredible average of 90.62, which made him the second-highest run-scorer of the tournament.The 25-year-old batter showed consistency in every format throughout the season. Therefore, many fans were surprised after his name was not included in the ODI squad.Dhruv JurelDhruv Jurel was another player who missed out despite being in sensational form. The young wicketkeeper-batter impressed for Uttar Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26. Notably, Dhruv Jurel scored 558 runs in just 7 innings at a strike rate of 122.91. His fearless batting style and ability to finish games made him one of the standout performers of the tournament.At the same time, competition for places in the Indian middle order and wicketkeeping department remains very high. India already have players like KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan in the squad. As a result, Jurel could not secure a place in the final squad.Ruturaj GaikwadRuturaj Gaikwad also failed to find a place in the ODI squad despite decent performances in the format. The Maharashtra batter had earlier impressed during India’s ODI series against South Africa.He scored a brilliant 105 runs off 83 balls in the second ODI after Shreyas Iyer missed the series due to injury. His innings displayed confidence, timing, and maturity under pressure.Later, in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26, Gaikwad continued his good form and scored 413 runs in 7 innings at a strike rate of 115.04.Even though India decided to go with a few fresh faces this time, Gaikwad’s recent ODI performances made him a deserving candidate for selection.Mohammed ShamiMohammed Shami’s omission also became a major talking point after the squad announcement. The experienced pacer last represented India during the Champions Trophy 2025 earlier this year.During the tournament, he picked up nine wickets, including a five-wicket haul in the opening game. Since then, he has remained out of the national setup despite performing consistently in domestic cricket.In the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26, Shami took 15 wickets in 7 innings. Along with that, he delivered another strong performance in the Ranji Trophy after claiming 37 wickets in 13 innings. Currently representing LSG in IPL 2026, the 35-year-old pacer has picked up 10 wickets in 12 matches.It is important to note that concerns related to fitness and workload management may have influenced the selectors’ decision.Sanju SamsonSanju Samson also missed out from the ODI squad despite enjoying a fantastic run with the bat. The wicketkeeper-batter has been among the most consistent performers in recent months. Currently playing for CSK in IPL 2026, Samson has scored 477 runs in 13 innings and played several impactful knocks for his side.Before the IPL, he also impressed during the T20 World Cup campaign, where he scored 321 runs in 5 innings and showcased his attacking batting style.In domestic cricket, Samson played two innings and scored 112 runs, including a century against Jharkhand. Even though his performances have been impressive, India already included KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan as wicketkeeping options in the squad. Therefore, Samson unfortunately missed out despite his strong form.Also Read: Who Is Gurnoor Brar? Shubman Gill’s Friend Set To Make India Debut In Afghanistan Series