20-20 World Cup: Five Indian players who were part of squad but failed to feature in playing XI

India crashed out of the ongoing 20-20 World Cup 2022 after facing a humiliating defeat against the Jos Buttler-led England team on November 10, Thursday in Adelaide. After putting on 168 runs on the board, the Indian team, who were poor with the ball, failed to pick any wicket letting the Three Lions chase down the total in 16 overs. 

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Alex Hales and Jos Buttler outplayed with their emphatic 86 and 80 respectively and it remains to see if the team could clinch the title post defeating Pakistan in the summit clash on Sunday. As things stand, let us take a look at five players who were a part of the Indian squad in 20-20 World Cups but did not get a chance to feature in the playing XI:

1) Yuzvendra Chahal - 2022

Yuzvendra Chahal (Image Source: Twitter)

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After getting a call-up to represent India in the 20-20 World Cup for the first time in 2022, the leg spinner failed to make it to the playing XI in all of the matches and his absence in the knockout clash against the Three Lions might have cost India, the cup.

With an impressive economy of 8.12 in the T20I format, many fans opined that the leg spinner could have made a difference had he been selected in the playing XI on Thursday. As things stand, the talented spinner will head back from Australia with zero matches to his name in the showpiece event.

2) Harshal Patel - 2022

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Harshal Patel (Image Source: Twitter)

After proving his prowess in the shortest format of the game, Patel made it to the Indian squad for the 20-20 World Cup 2022 campaign and eventually failed to make it to the playing XI in all of India’s matches. 

However, Patel, who failed to make an impact of late, could have lost his place on the back of his dismal performances and it remains to see if the Indian team management would back him in the upcoming multinational tournaments. 

3) Pawan Negi - 2016

Pawan Negi (Image Source: Twitter)

The West Indies team led by the then skipper Darren Sammy managed to crush the Indian team out of the 2016 edition in the semi-finals and eventually, the Caribbean stars went on to lift the title for the second time post-2012. 

Pawan Negi, who was a part of the Indian squad in the edition, failed to make it to the playing XI and ended up warming the bench in the whole tournament which was hosted by India. Fans, on the other hand, opined that the team management must have given the allrounder an opportunity to prove his worth. 

4) Stuart Binny - 2014

Stuart Binny (Image Source: Twitter)

Stuart Binny, the allrounder known for his ODI spell against Bangladesh (6/4), warmed the entire 20-20 World Cup hosted by the Bangla Tigers in 2014, and the Indian team, went with Yuvraj Singh instead. 

Reasonably, the allrounder was not at his best in the year and was kept aside for the showpiece event. India went on to lose against Sri Lanka in the summit clash, which eventually became the start of India’s knockout disasters. 

5) Varun Aaron - 2014

Varun Aaron (Image Source: Twitter)

Varun Aaron, the Indian fast bowler, was a part of the MS Dhoni-led 2014 20-20 World Cup squad and the pacer made it to the Indian squad on the back of his impressive fast spells. However, his inconsistency with the ball forced the Indian team to keep the player out of playing XI in the entire tournament. 

The right-arm pacer is yet to make a name in the shortest format of the game and the chances of the bowler making it to the Indian squad in all-three formats remain doubtful after the emergence of youngsters.