Players who might not be a part of India's T20 World Cup campaign

ICC T20 World Cup is around the corner, and the Indian team is still looking for the right combinations. While the core is ready, but there are still some spots left to be filled.

The Indian squad clean swept the recently concluded T20I series in New Zealand and would be satisfied with their performance. The team did face a stiff challenge in the last 3 T20Is, where they almost lost all the matches. But, some ordinary finishing efforts at the end for New Zealand resulted in the Indian team clinching the nail-biting encounters.

Since a few of the injured players are expected to return, there will be a case for dropping few names in the current Indian squad.

Here's a look at those players who might be overlooked for India's T20 World Cup campaign in 2020:

#3 Shardul Thakur

Shardul Thakur

Shardul Thakur made his T20 debut against South Africa in 2018. Since then, he has been part of the squad on and off. He has had a decent run so far, taking 19 wickets in 14 matches. However, his high economy rate of 8.73 has always been the point of contention. Thakur has been ineffective in the death overs and generally bowls in the middle overs of the innings, which further raises our eyebrows about his economy rate.

He comes in handy with the bat at times, providing some quick runs down the order. But, he has not been up to the mark with his primary responsibility that is with the bowl. He has a strong competitor in Navdeep Saini, who is quicker and more accurate. Also, Bhuvneshwar Kumar is waiting in the wings, and upon his recovery from the injury, he would be provided with an automatic entry into the squad which further worsens the case for Thakur

#2 Shivam Dube

Shivam Dube

Shivam Dube is a seaming all-rounder, and he is the latest member to join the Indian squad and made his mark already. Dube gained limelight when he smashed Pravin Tambe for five sixes in an over in a T20 Mumbai League fixture. His exploits earned him a contract from Royal Challengers Bangalore for the IPL 2019.

Dube had a mediocre IPL season but continued to perform well in the domestic circuit. Selectors took note of him and picked him in T20 squads for series against Bangladesh. He came in handy with his seam bowling and chipped in with wickets. He then showed his pinch-hitting prowess against West Indies. But, he was thrashed for 34 runs in an over in the recently concluded T20 series against New Zealand. Dube is a great talent, but still raw. Also, he needs to work on his bowling as he is a medium pacer who bowls only around 125 kph and could be found wanting against quality oppositions. Also, the return of Hardik Pandya in the squad can make it difficult for Dube to retain his place in the team.

#1 Washington Sundar

Washington Sundar

Washington Sundar came into limelight after delivering impressive performances in the Under-19 World Cup held in Bangladesh. He was picked to represent Rising Pune Supergiants and had a decent season, taking eight wickets in 11 matches. His ability to bowl in powerplay made him a potent option with the ball. He also can chip in with vital contributions with the bat, down the order.

He became a regular part of the Indian T20 squad and was allowed to bowl in the powerplay. He proved to be inexpensive and gave runs at an economy of 6.93, which is excellent as per T20 standards. He has established his ability to contain the batsman. However, the issue comes with his wicket-taking ability. He has so far only taken 19 wickets in 23 T20 internationals. Also, he does not get enough opportunities with the bat. He is also facing stiff competition from Ravindra Jadeja for the spin all-rounder slot. Given Jadeja's ability with the bat and his efforts in the field, Sundar is very likely to lose out on the spot.