'Kohli, Pujara have same average of 29 in last 3 years...': Chopra's jibe at BCCI selectors in raising burning question

Disappointed at the decision made by BCCI, Chopra took at jibe at the selectors highlighting a significant stat of Pujara and Virat Kohli.

The cynosure of India's squad announcement for the impending two-match Test series against West Indies has been the absence of Cheteshwar Pujara from the squad. The India No.3, who only scored 14 and 27 in the World Test Championship final earlier this month against Australia, has been axed. Disappointed at the decision made by BCCI's selection committee, former India cricketer Aakash Chopra took at jibe at them highlighting a significant stat of Pujara and Virat Kohli.

Aakash Chopra compared the performance of Kohli and Pujara in the last three years in Tests.

The period Chopra took into consideration to give his verdict on the selection choices made by BCCI was the period from January 2020 till date, implying the previous WTC cycle, plus the tour of New Zealand and the famous 2020/21 series in Australia and the home contest against England.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra, without giving any "opinion", highlighted the batting average of the top-order batters and shed light on Pujara and Kohli having the same batting average of 29.69 during the period. While Pujara, who made the most appearances for India in the last three years despite having being dropped last year, scored 1455 runs in 28 matches, Kohli managed 1277 runs in 25 matches.

"Now that Pujara is not there, the question is was it the right decision? I am not going to make an opinion. I'm only going to show a few numbers of Indian batters in Test cricket in the last three years. Rohit Sharma has scored the most runs with an average of 43 in 18 matches. Shubman Gill averages 32 in 16 matches and KL Rahul 30 in 11 matches. Pujara has an average of 29 in 28 matches. Kohli, during the same period, also has the same average as Pujara. The only difference is that Kohli has played three matches less than Pujara. Ajinkya Rahane, who has played 20 matches, his average is the worst in this list, which is 26.50," he said.

The veteran India batter admitted that while Pujara could look to make a comeback like Ajinkya Rahane made this year, but it is unlikely to happen as the decision of the selectors reflects that the team has started to move ahead with in the new WTC cycle with younger options.

"So these are the numbers based on which Pujara has been axed. You should never say never because when Ajinkya Rahane has come back like that, Cheteshwar Pujara was also dropped in between, and his performance was amazing in county cricket due to which he was given a place again in the team. He did well too (in Tests) but now it seems, the next WTC cycle is starting, he is not getting younger by the day and maybe the Indian team has started to look in a different direction," he said.