Former cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra has questioned the absence of young players such as Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan from the T20I squad of the upcoming Ireland tour, citing that the Indian team management is not taking T20Is seriously.

Chopra also mentioned that players in their early 20s don't need much rest as it won't help their cause.

India will play three T20Is on the tour of Ireland under Jasprit Bumrah’s captaincy as regular skipper Hardik Pandya has also been rested.

The 15-member squad features the likes of Ruturaj Gaikwad, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed, among others.

Chopra feels it is important that India regulars in the shortest format play as many T20Is as possible.

“I think we're not taking T20Is seriously. Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill are not going to Ireland. I can understand people needing breaks. But from now till the T20 World Cup, we have 14 matches. Don't think about IPL, everyone performs in IPL but that doesn't mean we would win the World Cup. In fact, the only time we won it was when IPL wasn't even there,” Chopra said on his official YouTube channel.

Speaking further, Chopra asked what are the chances of Ishan Kishan featuring in Asia Cup 2023 if Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul are fit.

“International matches are important. If you're playing three matches against Ireland... I'm thinking from the perspective of Ishan Kishan, he was rested for the third and fourth T20I against the West Indies, and I don't think he will play in the fifth as well. He won't go to Ireland as well. What are the chances of him playing in the Asia Cup if Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul are fit. You could've played against Ireland, your first match in the Asia Cup is in September, you had ample gap in between. I don't think anyone's thinking about it. These are youngsters, they don't need much rest I believe.”

India will open their Asia Cup 2023 campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan on September 2 in Pallekele.