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'Has he been rested or..?": Aakash Chopra questions absence of Team India star for New Zealand T20Is
Aakash Chopra insisted that the absence of Team India's star player for New Zealand T20Is poses questions.
Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra has questioned the absence of Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya in the T20I squad against New Zealand. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had announced a 16-member squad for the three-match T20I series, led by Rohit Sharma who was also confirmed as India's new captain in the shortest format of the game.
Hardik Pandya was among the notable absentees in the squad, alongside former T20I skipper Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja. While Chopra insisted that the aforementioned players were rested, the absence of Hardik Pandya poses some questions.
"Kohli has been rested, which was due. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami's rest was also deserved. Ravindra Jadeja has also played in England (Test series), then the IPL, and the T20 World Cup, so it was a good call to rest him. But I've some doubts over Hardik Pandya's absence. Has he been rested? Did he need rest?" Chopra said on his official YouTube channel.
“He didn't feature in the Test series against England and played 7 matches in the IPL where he didn't bowl as well. In the World Cup, he bowled limited number of overs and batted in three games. So, is he really been rested or is there a message that's been conveyed?” Chopra further said.
Pandya's place in the Indian team was under speculation after India's elimination from the T20 World Cup, owing to his inconsistent run with the bat and unavailability as a bowler.
Team India's three-match T20I series against New Zealand begins on November 17. It will also see the beginning of a new era in Indian cricket, with Rahul Dravid taking over the role of head coach.
The T20I series will be followed by followed by two Test matches in Green Park (25-29 November) and Wankhede Stadium (December 3-7).
