He scalped only one wicket in two T20Is before being ruled out for more than a year due to a stress fracture and shoulder injury.
The veteran pacer Sandeep Sharma, who has near-150 wickets to his name in the Indian Premier League (IPL), never got a second stint while donning the Indian jersey. However, at the age of 32, the player backs the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) move to provide opportunities to the youngsters, instead of some of the experienced figures like him, who are continuing to showcase a smashing form for their respective teams in the domestic circuit.
Backed by his consistent performances, the bowler believes that he still has that firepower in him to represent the national team at the highest of stages. But considering India’s rich pool of talent and the bench strength, it is very difficult for a player to make a comeback in his early thirties.
Notably, Sandeep, who represented India in just two matches, has also supported this move. The seamer scalped only one wicket in two T20I matches against Zimbabwe in 2015, before being ruled out for more than a year due to a stress fracture and shoulder injury.
“I think I have. But I feel that once you turn 32 or 33 in the Indian circuit, even if you’re performing well, people don’t really look at you. People always go for younger players, and that’s how it should be,” he stated to Crictracker.
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The veteran pacer also compared him with youngster Harshit Rana, while acknowledging that he would definitely pick the 23-year-old, rather than himself. Notably, after coming in as a concussion substitute and bagging a three-wicket haul against England in January 2025, the star Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) pacer has secured a spot in India’s 20-member squad for the ACC Asia Cup 2025.
“Even if I were a selector, and you asked me who I would pick – Harshit Rana or Sandeep Sharma, if both are performing similarly, I would always pick Harshit Rana. Because he has that future ahead of him,” added Sandeep.
The 32-year-old also put up a consistent show in the IPL 2025. Notably, Sandeep has always maintained an impressive economy rate and has not conceded over 10.00 in any season of his 13-year IPL career so far.
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