(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) With the upcoming Tour of South Africa scheduled to commence on December 10, the composition of the Indian squads has drawn attention for its distinctive features. Notably, this tour will witness three different captains leading in three formats. Rohit Sharma will helm the Test team, Suryakumar Yadav will captain the T20I series, and KL Rahul has been chosen as skipper for the ODIs. The South Africa series will consist of three ODIs, three T20Is, and two Tests.
However, a notable absence from the squad is Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the seasoned pacer who failed to secure a spot in any format.
Former Indian cricket team opener Aakash Chopra expressed concerns about Kumar's career trajectory on his YouTube channel, stating, "I and you won't decide his career because we are not the selectors, and who are we to say whether it's over or a long career is left? It's not looking good in the current scenario. It seems like a roadblock has come."
Chopra pointed out that despite a decent performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the IPL, Kumar is not being selected. The exclusion from both ODIs and T20Is indicates a shift in the selectors' focus towards younger bowlers.
"It seems like the selectors have started looking in other directions, and there are options. It is actually a praiseworthy thing about Indian cricket that you always have so many options available that you say you can go with someone else," Chopra added, mentioning several emerging bowlers as potential alternatives.
Former Indian cricket team fast bowler and current Gujarat Titans coach Ashish Nehra also commented on Kumar's omission, expressing surprise given the conditions in South Africa. Nehra stated, "Only one name comes to my mind, because you are going to South Africa, and you have picked a lot of fast bowlers, and that name is Bhuvneshwar Kumar."
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