On Sunday (October 2), BCCI announced Team India’s 16-member squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against South Africa.

With senior players travelling to Australia for the T20 World Cup 2022, there was an opportunity for many youngsters including Rajat Patidar and Rahul Tripathi.

However, Prithvi Shaw's name didn’t feature in the list which also included the likes of Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson, Shahbaz Ahmed, and Mukesh Kumar.

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Shaw, 22, last played for India during the white-ball tour to Sri Lanka in 2021. Despite scoring truckloads of runs in domestic cricket, the right-hander is failing to make a cut even in India’s second-string side lately.

Ahead of the first ODI between India and South Africa in Lucknow on October 6, former cricketer Aakash Chopra also expressed his surprise over Prithvi’s omission.

"There is no Prithvi Shaw for this series. When the squad was announced, his name should have been there, right? He is a top player. I think he should have been selected," Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

The former India opener-turned-commentator expects Prithvi Shaw to be a part of the Indian team in the next T20 World Cup.

"I understand that Shaw is an opener and there are too many of them in the squad at the moment, but the amount of runs Shaw has scored, there has to be a time when he is called up. I frankly see him playing in the next T20 World Cup."

"Management should start inducting him and utilising him. His numbers are fantastic in domestic cricket. He is a destructive player, so he should have been part of this squad," Chopra added.