Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra has questioned Ravi Bishnoi’s exclusion from India’s playing XI in the second T20I against South Africa, saying that the wrist-spinner is the top-ranked T20I bowler at the moment. The Indian team opted to play Kuldeep Yadav ahead of Bishnoi as the solitary wrist-spinner in the second game of the three-match series in Gqeberha on Tuesday as well. He registered figures of 1/26 in three overs as the visitors lost the match by five wickets via the DLS method.

While reviewing the match in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra said: “I am still unable to understand the team selection. Shreyas Iyer didn’t play and you would be thinking why he didn’t play as he was the vice-captain in the last match. He scored a fifty as well against Australia and he didn’t play in this match.

“No one told why he didn’t play. Along with him, Ravi Bishnoi – he was the Player of the Series of the last series. He is currently No. 1 in the ICC T20I rankings but he too didn’t play.”

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Tilak Varma was played ahead of Iyer in Tuesday’s game. He scored a 20-ball 29 in India’s total of 180/7 in 19.3 overs. However, Aakash Chopra questioned whether Tilak Varma was preferred over Shreyas Iyer because of his ability to bowl.

“Ruturaj Gaikwad didn’t play because he was unwell, but you started wondering what was the plan, that Tilak Varma was at No. 3 and Shreyas Iyer wasn’t. Was Tilak there as he could bowl? But did he bowl? Did he not bowl because the match was shortened due to rain?,” Aakash Chopra concluded. “You still didn’t have a batter at No. 8. The selection was slightly baffling because there was no explanation. Someone will explain at some stage and then I will correct myself. However, at this point in time, I am slightly confused. At least tell what exactly is happening.”