IND vs IRE: "Not Taking T20Is Seriously" - Aakash Chopra Questions Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan's Non-selection For Ireland Tour

Former India batsman Aakash Chopra questioned the Indian team selectors for the non-selection of Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan for the upcoming Ireland series.

Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan were both included in the West Indies series. The 25-year-old Kishan was in his top form in the three-match 50-over format series. But he failed to make a mark in the T20I series and was also dropped from the first eleven.

The 23-year-old Gill has also failed on the tour however he managed to answer all his critics after scoring 77 runs in the fourth T20I match against West Indies and helped the team win.

While speaking on his official YouTube channel, the 45-year-old Chopra said that the team is experimenting with the ODI squad for the upcoming World Cup in India and not taking T20Is seriously.

He also said that India have 14 T20I matches in their hand before the next T20 World Cup.

“We were experimenting in ODIs recently and now we are not taking T20Is that seriously as well. I will tell you why? Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill are both not going to Ireland. I can understand that people need breaks but we have only 14 T20I games from now till the next (T20) World Cup,” said Akash Chopra.

Aakash Chopra opens up on Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan’s exclusion from Ireland series

He further urged everyone not to think about Indian Premier League (IPL) now since everyone can perform in the T20 league but the team needs to focus on the World Cup.

“Don’t think about the IPL because everyone plays in the IPL and does well too but that does not mean that we win the World Cup. In fact, we don’t win at all. We won the World Cup once when the IPL wasn’t there. So you need to play T20 internationals,” Chopra added.

The upcoming Ireland series will start on Friday (August 18) and the first match will be played at Malahide Cricket Club in Dublin and will kick off at 7:30 PM IST. Jasprit Bumrah will be leading the Men in Blue on the Ireland tour.