BCCI’S approach to managing the players is questioned by former Indian opener Akash Chopra

Following the BCCI’s announcement of the team for the Windies ODIs, former Indian opener and cricket commentator Akash Chopra criticized the organization’s approach to player management. Team India is currently going through a tight schedule playing with England. The 5^th Test between India and England in Edgbaston, which had been delayed, has just finished in a draw under Jasprit Bumrah’s captaincy. Soon after the Test match, India is engaged in a bilateral series with England, which comprises 3 T20Is and 3 ODIs led by Rohit Sharma.

Later this month, the Indian squad is flying to West Indies for 3 ODIs followed by 5 T20Is. But the senior players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are not listed on the team. The board announced Shikhar Dhawan as captain of the squad and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja his deputy. Shikhar Dhawan is the 7^th Indian captain leading team India in the year 2022. The list includes Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, K. L. Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah, and Hardik Pandya. This is the first time Team India is having these many captains in different formats.

Earlier in the Ireland series, all-rounder Hardik Pandya became the skipper while Rohit Sharma, K. L. Rahul, and Rishabh pant were injured.

Many experts are expressing their thoughts on the major players’ continuous rest after the matches, especially Rohit & Kohli. Rohit missed out on the rescheduled Test in Edgbaston due to Covid-19 while Kohli was absent in the 1^st T20I, resting after the Test match.

Akash Chopra, in his YouTube video, points out that, all the players have got plenty of rest in the past 3 years as Covid-19 canceled many matches in the cricket calendar.

“What is with all the rest? How much rest do you want? Earlier, when a player used to be out of form, he used to be dropped and picked again only when he scored runs in domestic cricket. But now whenever someone is out of form, he rests. Are you guys not worried about it?”, Chopra said in his latest YouTube video.

Kohli and Rohit were struggling with their forms lately in the Indian Premier League. Even though Kohli performed in the last Test match, he couldn’t contribute much to the team. He has scored 11 runs in the 1^st innings and 20 runs in the 2^nd innings. Rohit was also the same in the 1^st T20I as he was out for 24 runs. K.L. Rahul was also ruled out from the playing XI after his groin injury.

While the star players are on rest, many fringe players like Deepak Hooda, Umran Malik, Sanju Samson, Dinesh Karthik, and Arshdeep Singh got chances in the recent matches, and they displayed their excellence in the offered matches. But once the star players are returning after the rest, these talents were just ignored. Deepak Hooda, who became the player of the series, with his century in the India vs Ireland series may be excluded from the 2^nd T20I match in Edgbaston while Kohli is playing.     

“It’s good that India keep on giving opportunities to players like Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Deepak Hooda, and Sanju Samson when the big players are rested. But what happens when these fringe players score runs. Do you tell them that they are dropped just because the big players are available now? Won’t they feel what wrong they have done,”  Chopra added.

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