Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra has called on the national selectors and the BCCI to enforce stricter rules when it comes to choosing players who willfully miss domestic competitions such as the Ranji Trophy. The response has come after some young Indian players who are depending on their IPL results to earn a spot in the national team rather than participating in the Ranji Trophy.
Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara, who were cut from the Test team but are still active in the domestic circuit, were two examples given by Chopra. The BCCI selectors no longer have these two players and Umesh Yadav in mind for the Indian team, but Chopra noted that the veterans are still actively participating in the Ranji Trophy in an attempt to return.
“I am hearing that a lot of youngsters are not playing. They don’t play at all because their names have already come in the IPL. People have started thinking that they would be selected if they do well in the IPL, which is not a good thing, because Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane are still playing,” Aakash Chopra said in his YouTube video.
‘Selection committee has to put that line in the sand’
Aakash Chopra urged the board to mandate participation in domestic tournaments and stressed the significance of first-class cricket for Indian team selection. Additionally, he thinks the national selection committee, headed by Ajit Agarkar, should make a firm decision and convey to players that they will only be taken into consideration for national selection if they actively play first-class cricket.
“If first-class cricket is happening and if you are fit and are not part of the Indian team, go and play. A strong message has to be sent that you will only be considered when you go and play. If you feel you will only play the IPL and play all cricket based on that, I am expecting the selection committee under Ajit Agarkar’s leadership to put that line in the sand, that it’s not going to happen. If this is being imposed, please do it even more,” Chopra added.
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