IND vs AFG 2024: “Let’s address the elephant in the room” – Aakash Chopra on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s selections

Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra feels Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s selection for the Afghanistan T20Is has answered a lot of questions. As Rohit and Virat had last played in the T20I format in the semifinal of the T20 World Cup 2022, there were question marks on their participation in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024.

However, as both of them have been picked by the Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel for Afghanistan T20Is, both are expected to be part of the T20 World Cup squad.

Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel, “Let’s address the elephant in the room. Rohit is back as the captain. Interestingly enough, I could possibly give you in writing that if this team had been picked within six months of the 2022 T20 World Cup, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli wouldn’t have been there.”

“The sentiment at that time was very different. You didn’t see either of them in the Indian XI for a year. It wasn’t even a point of discussion. It’s not that they were unavailable everywhere. They might have been available in some places but the selectors said they were looking in a different direction.”

The renowned commentator added if Rohit Sharma will play in the T20 World Cup, he will play only as a captain.

“After that, the ODI World Cup happened, where we saw Rohit batting destructively and Virat Kohli became the Player of the Tournament. So Rohit is there as the captain and I feel he will captain in the World Cup also. It was a landmark selection because if he plays the World Cup, he will play as captain only.”

Chopra reckons Hardik Pandya will not lead India in the T20 World Cup squad because of his fitness issues. Pandya is currently out of action due to his ankle injury, which he suffered in the ODI World Cup.

“Don’t think that Hardik (Pandya) will become the captain when he comes. I can almost give you in writing that it won’t happen. It’s decided that Virat Kohli will also be playing the T20 World Cup.”

India Squad for Afghanistan T20Is: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar.