“After making a vile video on YouTube…”: Prasad hits back at Chopra for ridiculing his criticism of KL Rahul

Venkatesh Prasad has been questioning Rahul's place in India’s Test team for the past few days.

By Salman Anjum - 21 Feb, 2023

Former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad on Tuesday (February 21) hit back at Aakash Chopra for taking a shot at him on his YouTube channel over his criticism of out-of-form KL Rahul.

Prasad has been questioning Rahul's place in India’s Test team for the past few days with regular posts on Twitter.

Since the right-handed opener is enduring an extended lean patch and also struggling for runs in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Prasad has been tweeting long threads criticising the Indian team management for giving him a long rope in the side when other in-form players are waiting to get a chance in the XI.

However, Chopra has ridiculed Prasad’s criticism of Rahul on his YouTube channel, saying: “If there are any agendas, let’s not peddle them."

Aakash Chopra’s comments certainly didn’t go down well with Venkatesh Prasad as the latter posted another lengthy thread on Twitter, firing a shot at the former.

He also dug out an old tweet of Chopra from 2012 where he poked fun at current India skipper Rohit Sharma’s ‘talent’.

“So my friend Aakash Chopra after making a vile video on YouTube this morning where he calls me an agenda peddle,  conveniently and cleverly misquotes me, removes Mayank’s average of 70 at home, wants to gag views which are not in line with what he believes but wanted Rohit out,” Prasad wrote on Twitter.

“I have no agenda against any player, maybe there are others who have. Difference of opinion is fine but calling contrary views as apna personal agenda and Twitter par mat laayein is funny for @cricketaakash, considering he has made a great career by airing his views. I have …”

“I have nothing against KL or any other player, my voice has been against unfair selection and different yardsticks for performers. Be it Sarfaraz or Kuldeep, have voiced based on merit. But it was disappointing to see Aakash calling it personal agenda.”

“This is what Aakash had aired when Rohit was 24 with 4 yrs in international cross. He can use sarcasm for Rohit at 24, and I cannot point out underperforming Rahul at 31 with 8 years in International cricket. Yeh bhi sahi hai”

“And the argument that we should not criticise a player in an ongoing match personally doesn’t make sense to me. That doesn’t affect the players performance.  Most players don’t read views even after the match and no player can read in between match as phones are deposited :)”

 “I admire Aakash for the hardwork he puts on his YouTube channel but calling a different view point as agenda because it doesn’t suit his narrative is poor. There is no bitterness between us and since his video was in public domain wanted to put my point out here.  Best wishes,” he concluded.

Talking about KL Rahul, he has scored just 38 runs in three innings against Australia in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. It remains to been whether the opener gets picked in the playing XI for the third Test, scheduled to be played in Indore from March 1.

By Salman Anjum - 21 Feb, 2023

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