"As soon as someone needs to be dropped, you drop him" - Aakash Chopra says Ravi Bishnoi is being treated unfairly after missing IND vs BAN 1st T20I

Ireland v India - 1st Men
Ravi Bishnoi wasn't part of India's playing XI for the first T20I against Bangladesh.

Aakash Chopra reckons the Indian team management is treating Ravi Bishnoi unfairly. He pointed out that the wrist-spinner is always left out to accommodate other players.

India played Varun Chakaravarthy ahead of Bishnoi in the first T20I against Bangladesh in Gwalior on Sunday, October 6. It remains to be seen if the Lucknow Super Giants spinner gets a chance in the second game in Delhi on Wednesday, October 9.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra replied in the affirmative when asked whether Bishnoi is being treated unjustly.

"I feel he is not being treated fairly because if you see the list of players who have done well for India since he started playing, you will find that Ravi Bishnoi's performances have been very good. Arshdeep (Singh) is at No. 1 but Ravi Bishnoi is not too far behind," he said (7:05).
"Then as soon as someone needs to be dropped, you drop him. To be fair, we are not fair on any leg-spinner. We haven't played Yuzi (Yuzvendra) Chahal in any World Cup to date. You don't play him even if he is in the team. Similarly, we are not playing Ravi Bishnoi although he has been consistently doing well," the former India opener added.
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Bishnoi has picked up 48 wickets at an economy rate of 7.29 in 32 T20Is. Yuzvendra Chahal was picked ahead of him for the 2024 T20 World Cup. However, the Rajasthan Royals leg-spinner did not get to play a game in the global event.


"What would you be telling Ravi Bishnoi?" - Aakash Chopra on Varun Chakaravarthy playing ahead of him

Varun Chakaravarthy registered figures of 3/31 in four overs in the first T20I against Bangladesh. [P/C: BCCI]
Varun Chakaravarthy registered figures of 3/31 in four overs in the first T20I against Bangladesh. [P/C: BCCI]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra questioned what reasoning might have been given to Ravi Bishnoi for playing Varun Chakaravarthy ahead of him.

"Here also, when there was a chance, Varun (Chakaravarthy) played first and Bishnoi didn't. I do get it that I was saying that Varun should be played. If you get someone after three years, he should be played. But if you do that, what would you be telling Ravi Bishnoi?" he said (7:40).

The renowned commentator added that a player would feel bad if he is always the one getting dropped.

"The selection is not only for the 15. You also have it for the XI after that. If you have selected someone in the 15, you say you have to play him for justice, but one man's loss is another man's opportunity. If only one guy keeps bearing the loss, he would ask why me," Chopra observed.

Chopra believes the selectors and team management's roadmap for Bishnoi needs to be communicated to him. He added that the youngster can't be blamed if he is unclear where his career is going.

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Edited by Samya Majumdar