Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra has observed that many people think a lot of Gujarat Titans players were in the final XI for the one-off Test match against Afghanistan because Shubman Gill is India’s captain. However, he said fans should question who could have played ahead of these players.

In the one-off Test match against Afghanistan, India had the likes of Sai Sudharsan, Washington Sundar, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna, who all represent Gujarat Titans in the IPL.

Manav Suthar, the debutant, was the star of the show as he picked seven wickets in the match, including 6-33 in the first innings.

“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. 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?” Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.

“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,” he added.

The renowned commentator highlighted that GT players would have been part of the team irrespective of the captain.

“Should Washington Sundar not have been selected? He should have been selected. 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,” he observed.

India will next face Afghanistan in three-match ODI series.