Aakash Chopra has responded to the growing debate surrounding the number of Gujarat Titans players selected in India’s Test squad for the one-off match against Afghanistan. Following the squad announcement, some fans questioned whether Shubman Gill’s role as Gujarat Titans captain had influenced the inclusion of several players from the franchise in the national team. The discussion gained momentum on social media, where many supporters suggested that players associated with the Gujarat Titans were benefiting from Gill’s leadership and visibility.

However, Chopra believes such claims overlook a crucial point: whether there were stronger candidates available for selection. “I also saw many memes about that, which included why Kagiso Rabada was left out, and that he could have also been picked, or what Kuldeep Yadav was doing in the bowling scorecard in a Gujarat Titans match,” Aakash Chopra said. “I know what kind of feeling there is, as to why so many Gujarat players are playing, and is it just because Shubman Gill is the captain?”

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“So whoever plays for Gujarat under his captaincy is selected early for India. I understand that one gets a feeling like that, but who would you have picked in their place is always the question you must ask.”

The former India opener pointed out that several Gujarat Titans players selected for the Afghanistan Test had already built strong cases for inclusion through their performances. According to Chopra, players such as Washington Sundar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Manav Suthar and Sai Sudharsan would have found a place in the squad regardless of who was leading the Indian team.

“Should Washington Sundar not have been selected? He should have been selected,” Aakash Chopra observed. “Manav Suthar has justified his selection. Siraj and Prasidh Krishna, again, no questions asked. Sai Sudharsan was a part of the team from before. If you look at it from that perspective, you say their names would have come in any case, whether Shubman Gill or KL Rahul had been the captain.”

Chopra also highlighted that similar situations have occurred throughout Indian cricket history. He recalled how players from Chennai Super Kings featured prominently during MS Dhoni’s captaincy, while captains like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma also worked closely with players they trusted. “When MS Dhoni was the captain, we saw many CSK players playing,” Chopra said.

He explained that captains often develop confidence in players they regularly observe in high-pressure situations, making trust an important factor in team selection rather than favouritism. Chopra further cited Gautam Gambhir’s transition from Kolkata Knight Riders mentor to India head coach, noting that several KKR players soon entered the national T20 setup.

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“In fact, when Gambhir was KKR’s coach, after that, we saw many KKR players becoming a part of the T20 setup as soon as he became the coach,” he said. “So familiarity doesn’t always breed contempt. Familiarity also breeds trust. In my opinion, it’s a matter of trust.”