The BCCI on Saturday (January 11) announced India's 15-member squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series against England, starting January 22 in Kolkata.
Suryakumar Yadav will lead the side, with spin all-rounder Axar Patel being named his deputy. Mohammad Shami’s inclusion grabbed the headlines as the senior pacer returned to the national squad after an extended injury hiatus.
However, the squad announcement has triggered a debate, especially over the omission of wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant and left-handed opener Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, former India cricketer Aakash Chopra offered his perspective on the notable absentees and their implications for India's cricketing plans.
Chopra expressed surprise at the decision to pick Dhruv Jurel as the backup wicketkeeper while snubbing Rishabh Pant.
"In the last T20I series [in South Africa], the team had Jitesh Sharma, who didn't get a game. Now Dhruv Jurel has been selected. Jurel has good temperament and potential, but in T20s, he is yet to make a name. He is picked purely on his potential, but he won't find a place in the playing XI," Chopra said.
"You picked Dhruv Jurel and not Rishabh Pant. That's very interesting. It's not like Pant is out of T20I schemes or considered unfit for white-ball cricket. So early in someone's career, should we make that call? I still believe Pant is an asset, the kind of player we should invest in," he further remarked.
Chopra emphasized the importance of communication from the selectors, particularly for experienced players like Pant.
"Selectors should provide explanations to players. If not done, it weakens the foundation of the new setup during a transition period," he added.
Aakash Chopra also shared his thoughts on Jaiswal's snub, speculating that he might be in line for the upcoming Champions Trophy.
"Yashasvi's name is missing. I think they are considering him for the Champions Trophy and possibly the three-match ODI series against England. But he could've been in the T20I squad," Chopra said.
He highlighted the competition between Jaiswal and Abhishek Sharma for a spot, wondering whether the former is still not in the selectors’ white-ball scheme of things.
"Abhishek Sharma has already played 11-12 matches but hasn't scored enough runs or cemented his place. Yashasvi could have been given an opportunity in the playing XI. My question is, has Yashasvi's time not yet arrived in white-ball cricket?"
Chopra also questioned the lack of a third opener in the squad, highlighting potential risks in a five-match series.
"Why don't they pick a third opener? They didn't select one for the South Africa series either. If one opener falls ill, who will open? Tilak Varma or Washington Sundar? They could have gone for an extra opener," he stated.
India’s T20 squad for England series: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammad Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel (vc), Ravi Bishnoi, Varun Chakravarthy and Washington Sundar.
