Aaron Jones Dropped from USA ODI Squad After Choosing Club Over Country
Since debuting in 2018, Jones has been a mainstay in USA’s white-ball squads. However, his recent choices have cast doubt on his ongoing role, especially with the team’s strong performance in his absence.
Former USA vice-captain Aaron Jones has been left out of the USA ODI squad for the upcoming World Cup League 2 (WCL-2) tri-series, following his decision to prioritize a club commitment over national duty. Jones chose to play for the St. Lucia Kings in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) rather than join the USA squad for their WCL-2 tour in Namibia in September. His decision, made despite apparent cautions from USA Cricket, reportedly caused tension within the board and the selection panel.
During the Namibia tour, USA remained unbeaten in all four ODI matches without Jones, likely bolstering the selectors’ decision to exclude him. Meanwhile, Andries Gous, who returned to the USA squad after cutting short his CPL stint with the Trinbago Knight Riders, has retained his place. Jones did make a brief return for the T20I series but struggled with low scores, which may jeopardize his future in USA’s T20I setup as well.
The squad announcement came during USA-A’s chase against Scotland, where young talent Sanjay Krishnamurthy showcased his potential with an unbeaten 167 in a remarkable comeback effort. Krishnamurthy’s stamina and skill against a high-quality Scottish attack impressed many, highlighting his potential as a valuable future addition to the USA lineup. Some have suggested he could even be added as a 16th player for the upcoming tri-series, though no official decision has been made.
USA Squad for Tri-Series: Monank Patel (captain), Smit Patel, Sai Teja Mukkamalla, Milind Kumar, Shayan Jahangir, Andries Gous, Harmeet Singh, Nosthush Kenjige, Saurabh Netravalkar, Juanoy Drysdale, Utkarsh Srivastava, Jasdeep Singh, Shadley Van Schalkwyk, Yasir Mohammad, Sushant Modani.
