Mumbai: Speaking on JioHotstar after India’s Asia Cup squad announcement, former cricketers Abhishek Nayar and Aakash Chopra shared their insights on Shubman Gill’s elevation as vice-captain, Shreyas Iyer’s omission, and the management’s approach to workload management for Jasprit Bumrah.
Speaking on JioHotstar, Abhishek Nayar shared his thoughts on Shubman Gill’s return to the T20 squad:
“This squad announcement sort of tells you the mindset of the selectors. With selection of Shubman, in time, he is going to be an all-format captain, and that’s where they are sort of positioning him. Great pick, terrific player. I’m sure he’s going to follow the mindset of being attacking, having that approach. And I feel it’s going to be a very, very interesting next 12 months in Shubman Gill’s life.”
On Shreyas Iyer’s absence from the squad:
“I can’t fathom or understand what reason could justify Shreyas Iyer not being part of the 20-member squad. I’m not even talking about the final 15, but the 20 itself, which sends a clear message that Shreyas Iyer is not in the selectors’ scheme of things, at least from a T20 perspective.”
On Jasprit Bumrah’s workload management and return to the T20 squad:
“We all need to understand that Bumrah is a prized asset. He is the difference between winning and not winning a championship, and that must be respected. His workload and his body must be respected, because when you don’t have him in crucial matches, the impact is massive. Whatever the plan is, no one knows it better than Bumrah himself. He’ll be the best judge of what his body can handle and can communicate that with the selectors and team management. Knowing him and having spent time with him, I can tell you nothing matters more to him than performing well and winning championships for India.”
Speaking on JioHotstar, Aakash Chopra shared his perspective on Gill’s selection in the T20 squad:
“India seems to be moving in the direction of an all-format captain. With Shubman Gill’s return, Sanju Samson’s fate has more or less been sealed; he won’t feature in the playing XI now. You won’t drop Tilak Varma or Hardik Pandya, which means Samson sits out, and Jitesh Sharma will likely get the nod again. One thing is very clear from this selection: the batting slots have been prioritized over personalities. With Gill coming in as vice-captain, he will definitely play and open the batting. This essentially pushes Sanju Samson out of the XI.”
