Aakash Chopra Unhappy With Team India's Selection In 2nd T2OI, Slams Indian Team Management

Former India opener, Aakash Chopra, questions Ravi Bishnoi’s and Shreyas Iyer’s omission from India’s playing XI in the second T20I against South Africa. He highlighted that the leg-spinner is the No.1 T20I bowler at the moment. The Men in Blue went ahead with Kuldeep Yadav in place of Ravi Bishnoi as a wrist-spinner in the second T20I of the three-match series in Gqeberha. The left-arm chinaman registered a figure of 1/26 in three overs as India suffered a defeat in the game by five wickets via the DLS method.

Aakash Chopra was puzzled by the Indian team management’s decision to leave out Bishnoi and Shreyas Iyer. While reviewing the match on his YouTube channel, He explained, “I am still unable to understand the team selection. Shreyas Iyer didn’t play and you would be thinking why he didn’t play as he was the vice-captain in the last match. He scored a fifty as well against Australia and he didn’t play in this match.”

Aakash Chopra added, “No one told why he didn’t play. Along with him, Ravi Bishnoi, he was the Player of the Series of the last series. He is currently No. 1 in the ICC T20I rankings but he too didn’t play.”

Aakash Chopra Was Left Confused After Seeing India’s Playing XI

Ravi Bishnoi was the highest wicket-taker for India in the recently concluded five-match T20I series against Australia and was also the Player of the Series. Shreyas Iyer has had a terrific World Cup campaign and was also the vice-captain of India in the last T20I game against Australia where he also scored a half-century. However, both of these players were ignored by the Indian team for the second T20I against South Africa.

Apparently, India struggled with the top-order batting and bowling which led to a defeat in the second T20I. Aakash Chopra was confused to see Kuldeep Yadav and Tilak Varma in place of Ravi Bishnoi and Shreyas Iyer. It was understandable that Ruturaj did not play the match because he was unwell but there was no reason for Ravi Bishnoi and Shreyas Iyer to sit out of the game.

India will now play the third T20I at Johannesburg and will look to win the match in order to level the series 1-1 as the first T20I was washed out by rain in Durban. South Africa currently leads the series by 1-0 but India has a good chance of making a comeback in the final match of the series.