'Avesh Khan nowhere to be seen'- Aakash Chopra questions pacer’s exclusion from SL v IND series  

Aakash Chopra also spoke on Suryakumar Yadav's future in Test cricket.

Aakash Chopra has questioned Avesh Khan's non-selection for India's recent white-ball series against Sri Lanka. He believes that a clear strategy should be developed to cultivate seamers such as Avesh and Prasidh Krishna.

Despite Jasprit Bumrah being rested for the Sri Lanka tour, Avesh was left out of India's T20I and ODI squads. While Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, and Khaleel Ahmed were selected for the shorter format, Harshit Rana was also chosen for the ODIs.

Aakash Chopra was questioned on his YouTube channel if India should invest in Avesh and Krishna to help them grow in the presence of Bumrah and Mohammad Shami.

"It's a good question because the team recently went for the T20 World Cup and Avesh Khan was in the reserves. After that, where is Avesh Khan? If we want to invest in him, Avesh Khan should have been around. He should have been there on the Sri Lanka tour and he should have played matches in Zimbabwe as well. Where was he - nowhere to be seen," Chopra said on his YouTube channel.  

"I personally rate Prasidh Krishna very highly although his numbers are not looking very good in T20Is. He has been hit a lot whenever he has played but I would like to invest. He has the potential to be a very good bowler at the highest level also. So they should start investing in him from now itself and there should be a clear roadmap for Avesh Khan as well," the former India opener added.

Chopra suggested that India caps should not be distributed. He used the example of Chetan Sakariya, who played one ODI and two T20Is but is no longer in the picture.

Aakash Chopra was also questioned when Suryakumar Yadav would play for India in ODIs and Tests.

"Not in the near future. I think that decision has been taken. ODI cricket is played less now in any case and the team has decided now itself that they are not keeping him for the Champions Trophy and will consider him a T20 specialist.

It also means there is no chance at all in Tests. There is a different level of competition for Tests. Some so many players are knocking on the door and want to break it and come in. The players who have scored runs, Dhruv Jurel and Sarfaraz Khan, I feel they might not play the next Test. So SKY is not going to play 50-over and five-day cricket now," Chopra said.

Suryakumar has aggregated 773 runs at an underwhelming average of 25.76 in 37 ODIs. He managed only eight runs in his solitary knock in Tests.