Both analysts and supporters have attacked India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir for over-experimenting with his squad, particularly in the Test format. But Aakash Chopra said that when a team is going through a phase of change, like India is right now, experimentation is normal. The former India opener stated that Gambhir and company want to offer guys chances so they can solidify their positions on the national squad.
During their three- to four-year terms, Rahul Dravid and Ravi Shastri each used between thirty and thirty-five players. But according to Chopra, it is incorrect to consider numbers in a vacuum.
By that metric, Gambhir’s 24 goals in just 18 months have raised concerns about long-term strategy and stability.
During a media day prior to the second Test, JioStar analyst Aakash Chopra told reporters, “It’s normal to see more players being tried out than in any other phase when you’re going through a transition.”
“He has utilised 24 players in his more than one and a half years there. You said that Rahul and Ravi consumed roughly 35, therefore he still has 11 left, so don’t worry,” he said.
According to Chopra, selectors also have a significant influence during a transition period, therefore the coach does not make all of the decisions.
“The selectors and those they think is prepared to enter are just as important as the coach. The former cricket player turned commentator stated, “You go through different phases in a transition.”
Our universe is multi-format: According to Chopra, the availability of players, together with their workload and level of fitness, becomes a worry in modern cricket, as T20 cricket dominates the schedule.
We live in a multi-format world, and the increasing needs of the shorter formats raise questions about fitness and availability. As we move forward, those problems will only become worse,” he added, adding that this inevitably results in higher churn than in prior cycles.
Chopra added that it won’t be simple to replace veterans Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin, who all retired this year.
“Some things are out of your control; for example, someone must take Ashwin’s place if he retires. Someone must take over if Virat and Rohit retire. Additionally, you will inevitably have other players practically auditioning for those roles when three legends depart. Chopra said, “If you’re lucky, you’ll find the right ones in the first one or two attempts; otherwise, it might take a bit longer.”
The 48-year-old also discussed the Indian team’s frequent changes, especially in the batting and spin-bowling departments. Certain discrepancies are typical during a changeover, he noted.
“There is usually some disruption and inconsistency during transitions, and that is precisely where we are at the moment,” he stated.
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