Former India player turned famous commentator Aakash Chopra questioned the exclusion of India all-rounder Hardik Pandya in the Indian Team for the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand. He believes that Pandya didn’t need a rest as he didn’t play Test cricket as well as didn’t even bowl in the IPL 2021.
BCCI, on Tuesday (November 9), has announced a 16-member Indian squad for the three-match T20I series against New Zealand, beginning from November 17 as well. While Rohit Sharma has been appointed as the captain after Virat Kohli, a few players like Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami and Ravindra Jadeja have been given the rest after the long schedule.
However, the question arose seeing no Hardik Pandya in the squad and it can be believed that, unlike others, he has been dropped from the T20I squad as well. While speaking regarding this, Aakash Chopra said that he believes Hardik, who missed action due to his back injury, didn’t need any rest now as well.
“It was fair to give Kohli, Shami, Jadeja and Bumrah a rest but what about Hardik Pandya? Did he need that rest? Or is he axed? He doesn’t play Test cricket, didn’t bowl in the IPL as well and, in the T20 World Cup, he didn’t do anything in the last two games,” Aakash Chopra said in a video on his YouTube channel.
There are too many openers in the squad – Aakash Chopra
He also stated that the selectors have added too many openers – Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Venkatesh Iyer. He even opined on the importance of giving a player to his preferrable slot.
The former cricketer-turned-commentator again shared that playing an opener in the No.5 slot would not benefit too. Aakash Chopra said:
“There are too many openers in the squad. There is a fundamental flaw in our system and I’m going to highlight this. In the future, the team should, especially in T20s, pick players for the available slots and where the respective players have scored runs. Considering the IPL performance is a good thing, but if you’re saying the highest run-scoring opener to play at No.5 for India, he cannot perform equally well. There are 5 openers in the squad for the 3-match series. Moreover, Rahul and Rohit will certainly play unless the team wins the first two matches and then allows them to rest for the dead-rubber.”
.@ImRo45 all set to lead #TeamIndia's T20I squad against New Zealand. š š
How excited are you for the home series? #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/wGCe0gBbL2
— BCCI (@BCCI) November 9, 2021
Meanwhile, he praised Venkatesh Iyer as he came in the squad on the back of just seven IPL matches as well. Along with him, Harshal Patel, Avesh Khan and Ruturaj Gaikwad too came after having a stunning IPL season. The three-match T20I series will start on November 17 as well.
“Siraj, Ruturaj, Avesh and Harshal are the four brilliant picks in the squad. I am left with one question and that is over Venkatesh Iyer. He’s been phenomenal and there’s no doubt about it. But Chetan Sakariya was also brilliant 6 months back when you selected him for the Sri Lanka tour. And now after 6 months, he’s not in your scheme of things. So that discontinuity and inconsistency in selection leaves me confused and flummoxed. And Venky Iyer, as good as he is, has played just 7 games in the IPL that too as an opener. And there are already 4 openers,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
Get the latest update onĀ T20 World CupĀ and otherĀ cricket news. Like us onĀ Facebook, and follow us onĀ TwitterĀ andĀ InstagramĀ for more such updates.
