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Bhuvneshwar Kumar's omission from Indian squad sparks debate ahead of South African tour

Former Indian cricket team fast bowler and current Gujarat Titans coach Ashish Nehra also expressed surprise at Kumar's exclusion

By Omar | Dec 5, 2023 | 2 Min Read

A former Indian cricket team opener, Aakash Chopra, has voiced concerns over the impact on the career of Indian star Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who was notably omitted from the squad for the upcoming Tour of South Africa beginning on December 10. The composition of the Indian squads for this tour is notable for having three different captains in the three formats, with Rohit Sharma leading the Test team, Suryakumar Yadav captaining the T20I series, and KL Rahul chosen as the skipper for the ODIs. Despite a commendable performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the IPL, Kumar failed to secure a spot in any format.

Chopra, discussing Kumar’s omission on his YouTube channel, emphasized that he and others cannot determine the trajectory of Kumar’s career as they are not selectors. However, he expressed concern about the current scenario, suggesting that it appears to be a roadblock for Kumar. Chopra noted the selectors’ shift in focus toward younger bowlers, citing the exclusion of Kumar from both ODIs and T20Is. Highlighting the depth of options in India, Chopra commended the selectors for considering various emerging bowlers as potential alternatives.

Former Indian cricket team fast bowler and current Gujarat Titans coach Ashish Nehra also expressed surprise at Kumar’s exclusion, particularly considering the conditions in South Africa, identifying him as a noteworthy absence among the chosen fast bowlers for the tour.