"What are you going to tell Shubman Gill?" - Aakash Chopra on his non-selection for Bangladesh series
Aakash Chopra has questioned the selectors' decision to drop or rest eight players who are part of India's squad for the ongoing ODIs against New Zealand for the upcoming series against Bangladesh.
A 14-member Indian squad is currently playing a three-match ODI series in New Zealand, with the final game to be played in Christchurch on Wednesday, November 30. Only six players from this squad will travel to Bangladesh for the three-match ODI series starting on December 4.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra said this about Shubman Gill's non-selection:
"Shubman Gill, who is performing very well and is looking in very good form, was not part of the World Cup as well and is not at all tired, he doesn't need any workload management but he has not been selected for the Bangladesh series. What are you going to tell Shubman Gill?"
The former Indian opener was also perplexed by Deepak Hooda not finding a place in the Indian squad for the Bangladesh tour, elaborating:
"Deepak Hooda, who played in place of Sanju Samson in the last match, he is a multi-faceted player, got to play one match in the World Cup, but this guy also does not need workload management. He didn't play the first ODI as well. Why Deepak Hooda needs rest, I don't know."
While acknowledging that Suryakumar Yadav probably deserves a break, Chopra highlighted the flip-flop between Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan, observing:
"SKY - I can agree if you say he is genuinely rested because he has played a lot of continuous cricket. Sanju Samson is also not going to Bangladesh. Ishan Kishan, who was part of the T20I series here, will go there. Sanju Samson is a part of the ODI team here whereas Ishan Kishan is not."
Samson played a decent knock in the first ODI against the Kiwis but was dropped for the second game to include a sixth bowling option in Deepak Hooda. The Kerala batter had a great ODI series against South Africa before the T20 World Cup and has surprisingly been ignored for the Bangladesh series.
"He will be dropped without playing a game" - Aakash Chopra on Kuldeep Yadav
On the bowling front, Chopra was taken aback by Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav's omission, stating:
"Yuzi Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav - we were all talking if Kulcha should come back - both are not going to Bangladesh. Kuldeep has not played a single match on this tour and if he doesn't play this match (final ODI), he will be dropped without playing a game. Why - I don't know."
While observing that Arshdeep Singh's workload is probably being managed, Chopra was shocked by Umran Malik's non-selection. The reputed commentator elaborated:
"Arshdeep Singh - probably workload management is being done for him. Umran Malik is also not going. He has played one or two matches, picked up two wickets as well and didn't get to bowl in the second match, and he is also not going to Bangladesh. This comes as a bit of a shocker for me."
India’s updated ODI squad against Bangladesh 🏏🇮🇳
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Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur and Deepak Chahar are the six players currently in New Zealand who will also be traveling for the Bangladesh ODIs. They will be joined by regulars like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, apart from a few youngsters.