Cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra expressed his surprise and concern over the exclusion of Shivam Dube from the Indian T20I squad for the upcoming series against England. Chopra, in a video posted on his YouTube channel, questioned the decision, highlighting Dube’s crucial role in India’s T20 World Cup 2024 victory.

The Indian team, preparing to take on England in a five-match T20I series starting January 22, has kept several key players from the previous squad. However, Dube’s omission from the squad raised eyebrows, given his contributions to the team’s success in the shortest format. The all-rounder played a significant role in India’s triumph during the World Cup, scoring 133 runs at a strike rate of 114.65 across eight innings. His performance, especially in the final, played a pivotal role in the team’s victory.

“What happened to Shivam Dube? I also wanted to discuss Ruturaj Gaikwad, but he hasn’t managed to secure a spot. Patidar is in the mix as well. Clearly, there’s a lot of batting competition. However, right now, I’ll focus on Shivam Dube, who was part of the T20 World Cup-winning team.”

Aakash Chopra pointed out that Dube suddenly disappeared from the scene without any clear reason. He believes the batter deserves to play for another year or two, adding:

“When you win, everyone should get the credit. He even played decently in the final.Prior to that, there were certainly concerns about his batting and fielding performance. However, he bounced back, played brilliantly, and helped his team become T20 World Cup champions.

“If he was deemed worthy of a spot in the World Cup squad, I believe he deserves to be given another year or two of playing opportunities. His absence has been due to injury, but there was an earlier theory that players returning from injury would be given priority, with those who replaced them sitting out, regardless of their performances.”