Fans had been almost convinced that Sunrisers Hyderabad and Maharashtra batsman Rahul Tripathi will be given his maiden India call-up for the upcoming T20I series against South Africa. Given Tripathi’s blockbuster performances in the IPL since last year, it had felt like an inevitable, and a deserved call-up.
However, in spite of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli being rested and Suryakumar Yadav being injured, Rahul Tripathi didn’t get a look-in from the national selectors.
Tripathi, 31, has been in thunderous form in the IPL 2022: he finished with 413 runs at an average of 37, scored at a sizzling strike rate of 158.
Tripathi’s impact as a middle-overs enforcer is what had got everyone championing him for a role in the Indian team: in the middle-overs – overs 7 to 16 – Tripathi scored 248 runs at a strike rate of 160. His was the best strike rate for an Indian batsman in the middle phase of the innings among those with over 200 runs; overall, in fact, only Liam Livingstone and Andre Russell have recorded a higher strike rate in the season in the middle-overs with a minimum 200 runs.
The BCCI announced the squad for the South Africa series on Sunday. And while fans were delighted to see the likes of Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh get their maiden India call-ups after impressive performances in the IPL 2022, and also for the return of Dinesh Karthik after a stunning league stage.
After the South Africa series, India have T20I series against Ireland, England, West Indies followed by the Asia Cup before the T20 World Cup. But with the big guns expected to feature in the matches leading into the T20 World Cup, it is unlikely for Rahul Tripathi to further get the nod from the selectors.
Fans created an uproar on social media, expressing their disappointment with the selectors and the team management for not giving Rahul Tripathi any opportunity.
Here are some of the angry reactions from fans on Twitter over the Rahul Tripathi snub:
Where is Rahul Tripathi? https://t.co/1EdjF1X6pV
— Sushant Mehta (@SushantNMehta) May 22, 2022
Feel for Rahul Tripathi. Has been a consistent run scorer in the IPL for last few seasons and has done no wrong to deserve a call when seniors are resting. Hopefully he’ll be there for the Ireland tour. Sanju Samson the other one who deserved an opportunity too.
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 22, 2022
Feel for Rahul Tripathi and Sanju Samson, both deserve to be part of the T20 setup. Two of them have been showing very good consistency with healthy strike rate in IPL in the last few years – hoping both will be part of the Ireland T20 series.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) May 22, 2022
Rahul tripathi is better than venkatesh iyer. @BCCI you feel for it
— SuriyaDhoni
(@sevanism7) May 22, 2022
#rahultripathi @BCCI definitely missing him,come on he is a fearless batsman and definitely suitable for T20 fromat
— AKASH (@AKASH69291265) May 22, 2022
Why gaikwad and venkatesh Iyer ??
Tripathi deserve the place in squad
— TARAK ANNA ARMY
Shame on BCCI for Not Including this Man !! pic.twitter.com/g3t6Db3UFo
— KeyWall (@Keval_Ancient) May 22, 2022
U deserves to loose in every ICC tournaments….
…
Great work pic.twitter.com/OwiWhP7A0s— Want New Selection Panel for India
(@cric_not_out) Unlucky for rahul tripathi. Ruturaj didnt get chance. So he will get chance in this series
— cristiano ronaldo (@vaishak47193279) May 22, 2022
No Rahul Tripathi?? What is venkatesh Iyer doing in the squad
— Srikant M (@SrikantM15) May 22, 2022
. Also why 3 wicket keepers ?When Kohli will play at 3 and if Rahul Tripathi performed will you drop Kohli for Tripathi? Yahi toh selection dilemma hai which costs us every time i agree about DK too Umran Malik ki baat last year se hone lagi thi only DK is selected on IPL recency
— Prathamesh141 (@prathamesh18451) May 22, 2022
@rahultripathi should have been selected over venkatesh Iyer
— Vihari Gudla (@vihari_gudla) May 22, 2022
Feeling sad for Rahul Tripathi!!
Indian selectors are brainless again..#BCCI #IndvsSA— Deepesh Gupta (@deepesh_1504) May 22, 2022
