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'17 People For 3 Games, Why?' Aakash Chopra Questions India's Selection For SA T20Is

image-lpmhp8a8Indian team during the third T20I against Australia

The Indian contingent will be heading to South Africa for an all-format tour after the ongoing T20I series against Australia. The tour comprises of three T20Is, three ODIs, and two Tests. The BCCI has announced a 17-member squad for only three T20Is, which made Aakash Chopra curious. 

There is not much of a difference between the T20I team that is currently facing the Aussies and the one that has been announced for the South Africa tour. However, Shubman Gill, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, and Mohammed Siraj find their way back to the T20I team to face the Proteas. 

Having seen these youngsters playing some fearless cricket in the first three T20Is against Australia, it will be interesting to see how Shubman Gill and other additions will fit into the eleven. 

Along with Shubman Gill, there are three other batters- Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who will be travelling for the T20I series to South Africa. With Shreyas Iyer also back in the mix, a couple of these batters might not even get to feature in one game.

Aakash Chopra has questioned the national selectors, who have chosen 17 players for a three-match T20I series. However, he further praised bringing in Suryakumar Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja as captain and vice-captain, respectively. 

"Suryakumar Yadav is the captain here, which is fair. Ravindra Jadeja is the vice-captain of this team. It is an interesting development. A 17-member team has been announced. 17 people for three games-why? It is almost the same team that is playing vs Australia. Shubman Gill, Mohammed Siraj and Ravindra Jadeja have come in. It will be interesting to see who bats where because Yashasvi, Shubman and Ruturaj."

The former cricketer believes that it would be really difficult for the players as well as the management to set up an ideal batting line-up with these players.

"Then Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Rinku Singh, Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan. All of them cannot play. So it will be interesting for whoever tries to make the XI from this. Ultimately, there will be at least four people who won't get to play even a single match. So you have sent them for sure, but you won't gain anything from that."

He feels it is unnecessary to tag along these many players if they won't be getting any opportunities during the tour. Considering the T20 World Cup is not so far away, India should use the appropriate players for the appropriate roles.