"Did Hardik Pandya actually needed a rest? Or has he been axed?" - Aakash Chopra over the non-selection of Pandya for the upcoming Ind-Nz T20I series
Aakash Chopra has raised questions over the non-selection of Hardik Pandya in the Indian squad for the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand. The 44-year old believes that India's premier all-rounder didn't need a rest as he doesn't play Test cricket and didn't bowl in the IPL 2021 either.
On Tuesday (November 9), BCCI named a 16-member Indian squad for a 3-match T20I series between India and New Zealand, starting from November 17. Rohit Sharma was chosen as the successor to Kohli for the captaincy of Men in Blue in the shortest format of the game.
Regular names like Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami and Ravindra Jadeja were rested because of their prolonged period of cricket.
Another name that was missing from the squad was of injury-ravaged Hardik Pandya. However, unlike others, the 28-year old all-rounder is deemed to have been dropped from the Indian T20I set-up.
While speaking regarding the non-selection of Pandya, Aakash Chopra mentioned that it raises a lot of questions. He believes that Hardik, who missed a lot of cricketing action due to his back injury, didn't needed a rest.
"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," Chopra said in a video on his YouTube channel.
Chopra, in his video, opined that the selectors have named too many openers in the 16-member squad. With skipper Rohit Sharma and deputy KL Rahul certainties to open for the side, India have selected Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Venkatesh Iyer in the squad as well.
While mentioning the selection of multiple openers in the team, Chopra also underlined the importance of allowing a player to play in his preferred slot. He elucidated that playing an opener in the No.5 slot would not benefit neither the individual nor the team. 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."
"Harshal, Ruturaj, Avesh and Siraj are excellent pick but Venkatesh Iyer has played just 7 IPL matches". - Aakash Chopra
Harshal Patel, Avesh Khan, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Venkatesh Iyer were unanimously picked for their magnificent performances in the 2021 IPL.
However, the former cricketer-turned-expert exclaimed that the selection of opener Venkatesh Iyer had been on the back of just seven IPL encounters. Chopra compared V. Iyer's selection to that of Chetan Sakariya's for the Sri Lankan tour in July this year. The 46-year old opined:
"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," Chopra concluded.
The 3-match T20I series will begin on November 17 in Jaipur, before moving to Ranchi for the second T20I. Kolkata will host the third and final T20I of the series.