India’s Ravindra Jadeja (PTI Photo)
India are scheduled to play five ODIs against New Zealand, beginning in Auckland on November 4. Axar Patel has been preferred over Jadeja as the left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder, despite the Indian think tank previously indicating that Jadeja remains part of its plans for the 2027 World Cup.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra said Jadeja’s absence had not received enough attention and questioned the credibility of the assurances given about the veteran’s future in the team. Former India opener Aakash Chopra has questioned the selectors’ decision to leave Ravindra Jadeja out of the entire five-match ODI series against New Zealand, pointing to what he sees as a contradiction between the team management’s stated plans and its selection choices.
The former India opener believes Axar may have moved well ahead of Jadeja in the race for a place in the squad for the 2027 World Cup, suggesting the selectors might already have settled on their preferred option. Chopra highlighted Suthar’s impressive start to his international career, pointing out that the spinner had taken 23 wickets in his first three matches. Because there is a massive difference being seen in what you say and what you do,” he said, you said that he is an integral part of our team, that he is part of your 2027 World Cup plans, but it doesn’t seem like that,.
He was the pick of the Indian bowlers in Sri Lanka,” he said. “Ravindra Jadeja not being there is a big thing. Many people haven’t spoken about it. You are playing him very little anyway. Chopra pointed out that Jadeja had featured against the West Indies but was not played in the third match of that series either. He also recalled that Suthar was named Player of the Match in his debut game and had been India’s leading bowler during the tour of Sri Lanka. “Manav Suthar’s name is not there. Let that sink in. He has a three-match career in total, in which he was the Player of the Match in the first match.