Aaron Jones Left Out of USA ODI Squad for Prioritizing CPL over National Duty
In Namibia, USA remained undefeated across four ODIs, demonstrating the team’s resilience in Jones' absence. Although he was later brought back for the T20I series after performing well in the CPL final, Jones' recent low scores in the Nepal T20I series may put his future T20I place in jeopardy.
Former USA vice-captain Aaron Jones has been omitted from the USA ODI squad for the upcoming World Cup League 2 (WCL-2) tri-series, following his decision to play in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) instead of joining the national team in Namibia. Jones chose to honor his contract with the St. Lucia Kings in the CPL, a choice that reportedly did not sit well with USA Cricket, despite prior warnings from the board. Unlike Jones, Andries Gous cut short his CPL stint with the Trinbago Knight Riders to rejoin the USA squad in Namibia, which likely strengthened his standing with the selectors.
In Namibia, USA remained undefeated across four ODIs, demonstrating the team’s resilience in Jones' absence. Although he was later brought back for the T20I series after performing well in the CPL final, Jones' recent low scores in the Nepal T20I series may put his future T20I place in jeopardy. His role in the USA white-ball teams has been prominent since his debut in 2018, but this decision marks a pivotal moment in his international career.
Meanwhile, the USA cricket scene also witnessed young talent Sanjay Krishnamurthy’s remarkable 167* for USA-A against Scotland. At just 21, Krishnamurthy showcased his strength and endurance by chasing a daunting target of 341 in the Dallas heat, bolstering his case for national selection. The announcement of the main squad came as he was still batting, raising questions about the timing of selections. Many believe he could be added as the 16th man to the squad for the tri-series, where USA will face Nepal in their opening game on Friday.
USA Squad: 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.
