Cricket pundit Aakash Chopra was surprised to find out Team India didn't use their sixth bowler, Deepak Hooda, in the first ODI against West Indies. He gave the example of Venkatesh Iyer, who was also used as a bowling option only once on the South Africa tour.
Chopra believes it's impossible to create all-rounders if the players with bowling ability don't get to bowl. He added that it might be the team management who doesn't have much faith in a player's bowling skill who could have been picked as an all-rounder by selectors.
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"Venkatesh Iyer earlier. Hooda today. Kinda impossible to create all-rounders if they won't get to bowl…Or…perhaps, selectors are picking players as all-rounders but the team management has little or no faith in their bowling abilities," wrote Chopra on Twitter.
A Twitter user found it a negative tweet and asked Chopra if he ever has something positive to speak for Team India. He went on to make personal comments on the Indian ex-cricketer.
But the 44-year-old didn't lose his cool and explained his point. "Best time to try new options is when there's little or no pressure. That way you prepare them for the tough assignments. You don't throw people at the deep end on their first day at work. No wonder...let it be," he tweeted.
India managed to beat West Indies by six wickets in the first ODI after skipper Rohit Sharma hit a fifty. After bowling out West Indies on 176 runs in 43.5 overs, India chased down a total of 176 in 28 overs for a comfortable win in their 1000th ODI.
Ishan Kishan (28), Suryakumar Yadav (34 not out) and Deepak Hooda (26 not out) were the other contributors, apart from Rohit. With the ball, spin duo of Washington Sundar (3/30) and Yuzvendra Chahal (4/49) shared seven wickets between them.