Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra and commentator Harsha Bhogle expressed their disappointment at BCCI selectors for not picking Hanuma Vihari in the Indian squad for the two-match Test series against New Zealand.
After BCCI named the squad for the Test series against New Zealand, the Chetan Sharma-led selection committee received lots of flak for not selecting Hanuma Vihari in the side.
The decision of selectors to name Shreyas Iyer ahead of Hanuma Vihari in the squad didn’t go well with many fans and pundits as they felt that being a Test specialist, the latter should’ve been in the squad.
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Later the selection committee added Hanuma Vihari to India A squad for the ongoing South African tour.
Taking to his official Twitter account, cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra lashed out at selectors, saying that leaving Hanuma Vihari for the Test series against New Zealand was a grave mistake.
“Leaving out Hanuma Vihari for the #IndvNZ Tests looks like a faux pas now. It was a grave mistake to begin with…,” Aakash Chopra Tweeted.
Earlier Team India suffered a major blow as KL Rahul was ruled out of the Test series against New Zealand due to muscle strain on his left thigh. The opening batter was then replaced by Suryakumar Yadav in the squad.
With KL Rahul being ruled out of the squad, many felt that had Hanuma Vihari been in the squad, it would have avoided a new addition and the hosts would have straightaway relied on the Test specialist.
Mentioning how this series would have been a "great opportunity" for Hanuma Vihari, commentator Harsha Bhogle picked his lineup for the first Test.
“I guess with KL Rahul ruled out, the team more or less picks itself for the first test. Agarwal, Gill, Pujara, Iyer, Rahane, Jadeja, Saha, Ashwin, Axar, Yadav, Siraj. Maybe Ishant but this looks pretty much it. Would have been a great opportunity for Vihari,” Harsha Bhogle Tweeted.
The first Test match between India and New Zealand will be played from 25th November in Kanpur while the second Test will be played in Mumbai from 3rd December.
