"That hurts" - Aakash Chopra's brilliant reaction to Varun Chakaravarthy's 'PR agency' jibe at BCCI

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra shared his thoughts on India's squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe next month. Aakash Chopra questioned the non-selection of spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Varun Chakaravarthy, especially given the absence of key players in the squad.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced a 15-man squad for the upcoming series in Zimbabwe. Shubman Gill has been named as the national team captain for the first time. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson are the only players from the T20 World Cup 2024 squad included in the Zimbabwe tour.

Washington Sundar and Ravi Bishnoi are the only two spinners in the squad. Yuzvendra Chahal was part of the T20 World Cup 2024 squad but was not included for the Zimbabwe tour. Varun Chakaravarthy was also ignored by selectors despite his impressive performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.

Interestingly Yuzvendra Chahal Is Not There - Aakash Chopra

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra highlighted the selectors' decision to include only two spinners while ignoring Yuzvendra Chahal and Varun Chakaravarthy. Chopra mentioned that Chakaravarthy expressed his frustration over his exclusion despite his strong IPL performance.

"It's clear that guys who haven't got a chance to play in the World Cup are there here. However, interestingly, Yuzi Chahal is not there. Yashasvi Jaiswal, who is in the team, is there, and Rinku Singh and Khaleel Ahmed, who are in the reserves, are there, but Yuzi Chahal is not there," Chopra said.

"Interestingly, they have kept only two spinners. Neither Yuzi Chahal nor Varun Chakaravarthy is there. Varun Chakaravarthy had a very good IPL. He has even put an Instagram story - 'I wish I had a paid PR agency'. That hurts. You see a lot of upside for Washington Sundar but he is stuck in the wrong franchise. Ravi Bishnoi is a part of this team," he added.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) fast bowler Harshith Rana was also not considered for selection in the second-string squad. Rana was instrumental for the Knight Riders in winning their third trophy in the IPL 2024. He showcased his skills across all phases of the game, taking 19 wickets at an economy rate of 8.49.

Riyan Parag Has Also Been Rewarded - Aakash Chopra

The cricketer-turned-commentator said that India may face a selection dilemma with four openers in the squad. Chopra questioned how they would fit wicketkeeper-batters Sanju Samson and Dhruv Jurel into the playing XI. He welcomed the selection of Nitish Kumar Reddy and Riyan Parag in the team.

"You have to give a place to Rinku Singh. You have Nitish Reddy, who can give a little fast bowling and batting, as a good shadow option for Hardik Pandya. Again rewarded for his phenomenal IPL performance. Riyan Parag has also been rewarded," Chopra further stated.

The first T20I match between India and Zimbabwe will be played at the Harare Sports Club in Harare on Saturday, July 6. The remaining four matches are also scheduled to be played at the same venue from July 7 to July 14.

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