Former Indian opener and commentator Aakash Chopra has reckoned that keeper-batter KL Rahul has let go of his opportunities in T20I cricket, adding that the selection committee has other options now and he wouldn’t be considered in the shortest format.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra was asked if Rahul would be considered in T20Is in the near future. The former opener asserted that Rahul has let go of his opportunity in the shortest format, with others being considered for the same role.
“There was a time when he had a chance, but he let go of his opportunity. Now someone else has taken that place. I won’t say at all that KL Rahul can’t bat at that speed. If a guy can score 150 runs off 50-odd balls, he can bat like that when he wishes,” Chopra said.
“However, I don’t think the Indian team is going to move toward him now. KL Rahul is a very, very important player in Tests and ODIs. In fact, he has now become the vice-captain in Tests, but I don’t feel India would look toward him from a T20I cricket perspective,” he added.
Further, Chopra revealed the heavy competition in the Indian top order in T20Is. Interestingly, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was benched throughout the five-match T20I series against the West Indies, with Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma taking up the opening spots.
“Tell me how KL Rahul would get a chance in T20 cricket and in place of whom. He is not a middle-order batter in T20 cricket. He is an opener, and we are unable to give a chance to Vaibhav Suryavanshi as an opener,” he said.
“You have Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, and Vaibhav. These four people are there, and the entire country is asking why Vaibhav isn’t being played and when he will be played. How will KL Rahul play in that? Just think about it. This is not going to happen,” Chopra concluded.
