Team India not taking T20Is seriously; these youngsters should have been part of the squad for Ireland tour, feels former India opener | Cricket News

NEW DELHI: In a scathing attack over the absence of rising Indian stars Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan from the T20 squad of Ireland tour, former India opener Aakash Chopra feels that the team management is not taking T20Is seriously at all and these 25 years old young guns don’t need much rest as it won’t help their cause.

Gill, who had dismal outings in the first three T20Is of the five-match series against West Indies, roared back to form in style scoring 77 off 47 balls in the series-levelling fourth T20I victory in Lauderhill.

Jaiswal, who replaced the in-form Ishan, also scored his maiden half-century in the shortest format as India convincingly won the match by 9 wickets.

After the West Indies series, Team India will travel to Ireland for three T20Is where fit-again Jasprit Bumrah, who is returning from a long injury lay-off, will lead a relatively young Indian side.
Chopra emphasises that India regulars in the shortest format should play as many T20Is as possible and feels that both the young players should have been part of the squad.
“I think we’re not taking T20Is seriously. Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill are not going to Ireland. I can understand people needing breaks. But from now till the T20

World Cup, we have 14 matches. Don’t think about IPL, everyone performs in IPL but that doesn’t mean we would win the World Cup. In fact, the only time we won it was when IPL wasn’t even there,” Chopra said on his official YouTube channel.

Elaborating further, Chopra asked a pertinent question as to what are the chances of Ishan playing in Asia Cup if Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul are fit.
“International matches are important. If you’re playing three matches against Ireland… I’m thinking from the perspective of Ishan Kishan, he was rested for the third and fourth T20I against the West Indies, and I don’t think he will play in the fifth as well. He won’t go to Ireland as well. What are the chances of him playing in the Asia Cup if Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul are fit. You could’ve played against Ireland, your first match in the Asia Cup is in September, you had ample gap in between. I don’t think anyone’s thinking about it. These are youngsters, they don’t need much rest I believe.”

Both Gill and Ishan will return for the Asia Cup as India will start their campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan on September 2 in Pallekele.