Former India opener Aakash Chopra questioned the selection of Anshul Kamboj in the squad for the Manchester Test against England.
Fitness Woes and Selection Questions Ahead of India’s Manchester Test
The Indian camp is sweating over fitness concerns ahead of the upcoming Manchester Test against England, starting Wednesday, July 23. Akash Deep and Arshdeep Singh are unlikely to recover in time for the fourth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, while Nitish Kumar Reddy has been ruled out of the series due to a knee injury. To cover these gaps, Haryana pacer Anshul Kamboj has been added to the squad and appears poised to make his debut in Manchester.
However, former India opener Aakash Chopra has questioned Kamboj’s inclusion, pointing out that “there is no clarity” from the team management.
Before the series began, the management had asked Harshit Rana to stay back in England as a backup, which many believed was a better choice given Anshul Kamboj’s strong performances for India A against England Lions. Rana was sent back after the first Test, which England won by five wickets. Now with injuries emerging, Rana has been overlooked in favor of Kamboj.
Chopra expressed his concerns on his YouTube channel: “There was a lot of chatter about Anshul Kamboj. He did well for India A, but when there was an opportunity earlier, the team management chose Harshit Rana first. Anshul was sent home, and now we hear his name again.”
‘No clarity whatsoever’
The former India opening batter also raised questions about Gautam Gambhir and the rest of the support staff, asking whether there is any real “clarity” regarding player selection for the squad.
“If that was the case, then you should have kept Harshit Rana now as well. But he is not there; Anshul Kamboj is there. No clarity whatsoever,” said Chopra.
“Maybe the management knows, but nobody is telling us anything. This comes as no surprise. Anshul Kamboj was deserving; he is now with the team,” he added.
The Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy currently sees England leading 2-1, with both teams set to battle it out in the crucial fourth Test.