"Why did you pick him?" - Aakash Chopra on reports of Tilak Varma being left out of India's provisional World Cup squad
Aakash Chopra has questioned why Tilak Varma was picked in India's Asia Cup squad, considering reports suggest that he has been excluded from the provisional World Cup squad.
As per reports, the Indian selectors and team management have finalized the provisional 15-member World Cup squad that is supposed to be announced by September 5. From the 17-member squad that is currently participating in the Asia Cup, Varma and Prasidh Krishna, along with traveling reserve Sanju Samson, have reportedly missed out.
Reflecting on the reports in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra pointed out that Suryakumar Yadav's selection will leave India with hardly any part-time spinners. He also questioned the purpose of picking Varma in the Asia Cup squad, saying:
"The question will remain that you have kept Suryakumar Yadav, and I love him to bits, but the truth is that he too doesn't bowl and in ODIs, his numbers are also not that good. You picked Tilak Varma (in the Asia Cup squad) but why did you pick him?"
The former Indian opener pointed out that the youngster has supposedly been dropped without being given a chance. He elaborated:
"You wouldn't have picked him just to bat in the nets in the Asia Cup. You said he is very promising and has a lot of potential but neither did you play him in the last match (against Pakistan) nor will you play him in this match (against Nepal), and will not put his name in the provisional squad as well."
Varma is yet to make his ODI debut. He made an excellent start to his T20I career against the West Indies but was dismissed cheaply in the two subsequent games against Ireland.
"They were a token 17" - Aakash Chopra on India's 17-member Asia Cup squad
Aakash Chopra highlighted that Prasidh Krishna has also reportedly been ignored without getting a game because of the need for a batting option at No. 8. He stated:
"So the 17-member squad you had picked, they were a token 17. You didn't gain anything from that. Similarly for Prasidh Krishna. The Indian team have made up their mind that they need a batter at No. 8."
While observing that Shardul Thakur will be the bowling all-rounder if India look to play three frontline seamers, Chopra wasn't too convinced about the chances of Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel playing in tandem. He reasoned:
"That batter has to be Shardul Thakur if they play three pacers. If an extra spinner plays, then Axar Patel. Personally, I am still a bit 50-50 about whether you will play two left-arm spinners back to back. You don't even bowl left-arm spinners against left-handers."
Jadeja and Axar featured together in India's playing XI in three ODIs this year. The Men in Blue lost all three games, with the left-arm spinners picking up just two wickets in the 29 overs they bowled.