Former India opener Aakash Chopra came down heavily on the BCCI selection comittee for ignoring Sarfaraz Khan for the five-match Test series in England.
The Indian Test team, led by Shubman Gill, are all set to feature in a five match Test series in England, starting June 20.
The Indian batting will wear a different look with former captains Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma having retired last month and senior batters Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara out of the reckoning.
Despite having an impeccable domestic record and a decent start to his international career, he was not picked for the England tour as selectors preferred Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair over him.
While Nair was recalled into the squad, on the back of his solid showing in domestic cricket in the last season, the selectors' decision to have Sarfaraz in the India A squad but not in the main 18-man Indian squad did not sit well with Chopra.
Sarfaraz was dropped from India A’s playing XI in the second unofficial Test against the England Lions, despite scoring 92 (119) in the first match.
On his YouTube channel, Chopra questioned the national selectors' perplexing decision.
'Sarfaraz Khan hasn't done anything wrong thus far. In fact, he scored 90-plus in the one match he played. He couldn't score a hundred, but he scored runs. After that, you didn't play him in the next match, and he is not part of the Test team.
'He hasn't failed in England, Australia and South Africa thus far, but you haven't given him a chance. It is not a good story. I can understand if you don't have confidence in his technique or playing style, that he might not be able to score runs there, then just take a call. Then don't send him with India A also,” said Aakash Chopra in his YouTube video.
The Mumbai batter made a strong India debut last year in the home series against England, with half-centuries in both innings of the first Test. He also scored a 150 against New Zealand at home in the series India suffered an embarrassing 0-3 whitewash.
Sarfaraz also travelled with the Indian team to Australia, as part of the main squad, but he didn't get any playing time.