Former cricketer Aakash Chopra has questioned Team India's selection. He shared his opinion on the injustice with Sanju Samson and why Rajat Patidar is not getting a chance.
During the ongoing five-match T20 series between India and England, former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has made a significant statement regarding the team combination. Speaking on his YouTube channel, he clearly expressed his views on the selection and opportunities for certain players in the team.
Chopra believes that the talented wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson is not being treated fairly in Team India. He made this comment in the context of the second T20 match against England, where Samson was excluded from the playing eleven.
Aakash Chopra emphasized that Sanju Samson was a crucial part of the Indian team that won the 2026 T20 World Cup. Moreover, he also won the 'Player of the Tournament' title in that tournament.
Despite these achievements, his exclusion from the second T20 match against England surprised many fans and cricket experts. Highlighting this issue, Chopra stated that this is an injustice to Samson.
A viewer asked Aakash Chopra if Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain Rajat Patidar should get a chance in the Indian T20 team. In response, Chopra praised Patidar's abilities but also shed light on the current team structure.
He said, 'Rajat Patidar is an excellent player, but the big question is, in whose place should he be included in the team?'
Chopra explained that India's top-3 currently features left-handed batsmen like Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, and Ishan Kishan. He specifically mentioned Ishan Kishan, stating that he has become the world's No. 1 T20 batsman at the moment.
'If you have the guts to remove Ishan, then remove him.'
His statement makes it clear that dropping Ishan Kishan from the team is nearly impossible, making it difficult for Patidar to find a spot in the top order.
The Middle Order Equation is Also Complex
Aakash Chopra also elaborated on the situation in the team's middle order. He explained that Shreyas Iyer plays at number 4, vice-captain Tilak Varma at number 5, and all-rounder Shivam Dube at number 6.
He argued that the captain and vice-captain cannot be dropped from the team. This raises the question of whether Rajat Patidar can be played in place of Shivam Dube. According to Chopra, this decision is not easy either.
In the end, Chopra advised Rajat Patidar to be patient. He said, 'Rajat Patidar's time will surely come. He has previously played 3 Tests and 1 ODI for India.'
He also mentioned that Patidar's strike rate in domestic T20 matches is over 160, which demonstrates his capability. However, given the current team combination, he might have to wait a little longer for his turn.
जोगेन्द्र सिंह शेखावत
