‘Aapse kisne pucha?’ – Fans fume over Aakash Chopra’s statements questioning Suryakumar Yadav’s exclusion from India’s Test Championship final squad

The Test Championship final between Australia and India will be played at the Oval in London from June 7–11. The Indian Cricket Board has announced a strong 15-member India squad for the coveted final. Rohit Sharma will captain the team, while former India vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane is set to make a comeback after more than a year due to his successful performances for the Chennai Super Kings in the current IPL and the Ranji Trophy.

After the South Africa tour in January of last year, Rahane was taken off the Test team, and he has since had trouble finding his form in the longest format of the game. Rahane performed admirably for Mumbai during the 2022–23 domestic season. He scored 634 runs at an average of 57.63 in 7 games, but the circumstances will present an altogether different challenge in London.

‘Ek match ke baad drop kyon kiya?’ – Aakash Chopra on Suryakumar Yadav

Rahane’s stint with the MS Dhoni-led CSK has only improved his chances because he has struck the ball with excellent timing and has registered a strike rate of 199 in five games, scoring 209 runs. Rahane has made a comeback, but KL Rahul, who was benched for the final two Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) matches against Australia, has surprisingly kept his spot in the team, most likely as the backup wicketkeeper after KS Bharat. He lost his spot as vice-captain and in the starting XI after scoring 38 runs in three innings of the first two BGT Tests.

Speaking of wicketkeepers, middle-order batsman Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan, who had just received their first call-up to the Test squad for the BGT series at home, have both been dropped. Surya made his Test debut in Nagpur’s first match of the 2023 BGT series. However, Shreyas Iyer took Surya’s position in the second Test due to a back ailment.

Speaking on Suryakumar Yadav’s exclusion from the announced squad, cricketer turned commentator Aakash Chopra said, “Happy for Rahane. But how does the SKY inclusion-exclusion make sense?? Select kyon kiya…kar liya toh ek match ke baad drop kyon kiya?” Fans have justifiably reacted to his statements that clearly stink of partiality.

Here’s how fans reacted:

Selection of SKY for test matches was a blunder in itself. Good that was corrected.

— Sameer Vaidya (@sameerv2906) April 25, 2023

https://twitter.com/proudindian7197/status/1650760723063259136

Matter of experience bolte …bhak

— Srinivas nagisetty (@NSNSRINIVASS) April 25, 2023

https://twitter.com/tahaabb62883980/status/1650760470570172420

https://twitter.com/SankhaneelayD/status/1650789139544170497

https://twitter.com/aDrTalk/status/1650764913902772224

Bahar kyun Kiya ye to sawal hi nonsense hai.

Select kyun Kiya is the elephant in the room.

Aise kisi bhi aantu jhantu ko test cap ni Dena chahiye at first place.

— Digvijay S (@Austerecule_10) April 25, 2023

https://twitter.com/MrBirla21/status/1650778994097414145