Arjuna Ranatunga has been on the news for the wrong reason. His ‘second-string Indian team’ comment has already made some controversy in the cricketing world. And, when you poke someone, you will have some answer. So, Aakash Chopra had to be the man for India.
Taking the advantage of his Youtube channel, Aakash Chopra has said, “It is absolutely right that it is not the main team, the likes of Bumrah, Shami, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja are not there. But is it really like a B-grade team?”
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Earlier in the week, Arjuna Ranatunga had said, India is sending their second-string team for the series against Sri Lanka and this is a shame for themselves as a cricketing country.
In reply, the Sri Lankan cricket had said that the Indian team is as strong as it gets and 12 of the 20 players in the squad has already represented India in different formats.
The struggle is on for the Sri Lankan team after the retirement of their legends like Mahela Jayawardena and Kumar Sangakkara. They are currently playing a series in England. Unfortunately, they have not any matches over there as well.
To put salt in the wound, a few of the Sri Lankas players have been banned by ICC for breaching the bio-bubble rule in the ongoing England tour.
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Moreover, Sri Lanka is also not the qualified group for the upcoming T20 World Cup. So, they are really under lots of pressure. Thus the frustration can be shown in Ranatunga’s face. Aakash Chopra did not miss the opportunity to say that in his own way.
“Sri Lanka will have to look inwards as well. Let’s be honest, Afghanistan doesn’t have to play the World T20 qualifiers, you have to. This is a reality. The truth is that Sri Lankan cricket is really struggling at the moment, even if you look at the England numbers now,” Aakash Chopra said.
“There is a possibility they may not qualify for the T20 World Cup, that they do not come in the main draw at all. You may not be there in the Super 12. That is also a reality and Afghanistan is already there,
Aakash Chopra in Ranatunga’s reply
The Sri Lanka tour will start on the 13th of July. The Indian team will be lead by Shikhar Dhawan. Meanwhile, Rahul Dravid has been appointed as the coach for the first time. This is the first time any team will play two series simultaneously.
