"What is Rahul's mistake?" - Aakash Chopra questions KL Rahul's non-selection after Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's recall for IND vs AFG T20Is

Aakash Chopra has questioned KL Rahul's non-selection in India's squad for the T20I series against Afghanistan, considering Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been recalled.

The Men in Blue will face Afghanistan in three T20Is, with the first game to be played in Mohali on Thursday, January 11. The selectors named a 16-member Indian squad for the series on Sunday, with Rohit as skipper and Kohli back in the mix in the shortest format.

Reflecting on the development in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra asked why Rahul has been ignored, saying (7:20):

"When you want to go back to your seniors, what is Rahul's mistake? If you are making the team based on the last T20 World Cup performance, both Rohit and Rahul didn't do well. Both are in the same boat."

The former India opener further pointed out that Rahul, much like Rohit, fared well in the 2023 ODI World Cup and can play as a wicketkeeper-batter down the order. He elaborated:

"After that, both have done well, if we see the last World Cup, the ODI one. Then both names should have been there. Rahul even keeps and bats down the order now. So you could have played him there as well. However, Rahul isn't there but Rohit is. Virat Kohli is there. You weren't looking to keep him for the last one year."

Rohit, Kohli and Rahul didn't seem to be in India's scheme of things in the shortest format since their semi-final exit from the 2022 T20 World Cup. While the former two seem to be back in contention for this year's T20 World Cup, the Karnataka wicketkeeper-batter continues to be ignored.

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"Suddenly, he has become a part of your scheme of things" - Aakash Chopra on Sanju Samson's selection for Afghanistan T20Is

Sanju Samson's century in the final ODI against South Africa might have earned him a T20I recall. [P/C: Getty]

Aakash Chopra also questioned Sanju Samson's sudden selection in India's T20I side. He said(7:50):

"Now Sanju Samson is there. For a long time, you weren't selecting him in the important format for the year, but now suddenly, he has become a part of your scheme of things. Ishan Kishan isn't there. He has given slightly patchy performances but that can be said about Shubman Gill also if you talk about T20Is."

The reputed commentator added that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's return implies that either Yashasvi Jaiswal or Shubman Gill, or even both, might not get a place in India's playing XI going forward. He explained:

"Going forward, only one of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill can open with Rohit Sharma. A school of thought could be to get Virat Kohli to open with Rohit because then only you will be able to play Suryakumar Yadav at No. 3, or else you won't be able to do that."

Chopra added that if Rohit and Kohli open, the investment done in Gill, Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad will go to waste. He concluded by lamenting the lack of consistency and clarity in team selection.