Former India opener Aakash Chopra raised serious questions on the Chetan Sharma-led selection panel’s picks for Men in Blue squads for two ODI series, one against New Zealand and then against Bangladesh.
As many as eight Indian cricketers who are currently in New Zealand as part of India's ODI squad will head home while 11 new players will fly to Bangladesh to form the Indian squad for the three-match ODI series there.
Bangladesh ODI series will see the return of captain Rohit Sharma, vice-captain KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Akshar Patel, and Mohammed Shami. However, the likes of Shubman Gill, Sanju Samson, Deepak Hooda, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, and Umran Malik will come back to India.
On the other hand, Mohammed Siraj and Ishan Kishan have also been picked in India's ODI squad for the Bangladesh series, begging the question of why were they sent home after playing only the T20Is in New Zealand.
Aakash Chopra questioned why did Chetan Sharma-led selection panel, which is on its way out, named four different squads at one go in what perhaps was their last selection meeting.
"When the series ends, nine (eight) players will go back home. The remaining will go to Bangladesh. You have changed 12 players from one series to another. 11 new players are joining (for the Bangladesh ODIs). Wow, can something like this happen?" Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
Chopra said that he couldn’t understand why Shubman Gill wasn’t picked for Bangladesh ODIs despite his good performances and the biggest shock was Sanju Samson being not picked as well. Samson will be replaced by Ishan Kishan, who only played T20Is on the New Zealand tour.
"If genuinely you have given someone rest then that is SKY. He has been playing a lot of cricket. But what about Sanju Samson? He too is not going to Bangladesh. Ishan Kishan will go. Kishan, who was only there for the T20 leg of the New Zealand tour but wasn't a part of the ODI squad, Samson was.
When you see so many changes in the ODI squad, you feel like how does it make sense? Aap Shubman Gill ko kya batane walo ho? Aap Deepak Hooda ko kya bolenge? Aap Sanju Samson ko jawab kya denge? (What answers will you give to Shubman Gill, Sanju Samson, and Deepak Hooda?) If you don't wanna play Kuldeep Chahal together then why do you pick them? If you do, then play them," Chopra added.
Chopra added that he was not surprised by the returns of big guns in Rohit, Rahul, and Kohli, but questioned the inclusion of Ishan Kishan in ODIs.
"Rohit, Rahul and Kohli had to be back.. But I can't understand Ishan Kishan's selection. He was not in ODIs in New Zealand but has been picked ahead of Samson for Bangladesh ODIs. Samson doesn't get matches. The guy who replaced Samson in the second ODI - Hooda - is not in the squad for Bangladesh ODIs. Who are the all-rounders there? Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar. If you can't find space for Hooda here then there's a bit of a problem. What are the selectors doing?" he said.
The three ODIs in Bangladesh will be played on December 4, 7, and 10 in Dhaka and Chattogram.
