World Cup 2023: Aakash Chopra takes aim at Indian management for giving no clarity on Shubman Gill's fitness

Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has lashed out at the Indian team’s handling of Shubman Gill’s fitness status. The right-handed batter was not able to take part in India’s opening game of the 2023 World Cup against Pat Cummins’ Australia at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai owing to reported dengue fever. However, head coach Rahul Dravid had said that the team was content with Gill’s progress. Despite all this, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that Gill would not be joining the squad in Delhi for the match against Afghanistan.

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Chopra, speaking on his YouTube channel, said, “Shubman Gill is ill. He has not yet become fit. The Indian team have decided that they will not tell us clearly, that we can keep thinking, we can say it is dengue or whatever we feel like but they will not tell us.”

He went on to say that his absence from the previous match and now, not traveling to Delhi suggests he’s not in good health. Chopra said that despite the head coach saying that Gill was being assessed, he is not even fit enough to travel to Delhi and this needs some introspection.

Recently, there were reports of Shubman Gill being admitted to a hospital in Chennai. In his absence, Ishan Kishan will once again walk out with Rohit Sharma to open the innings against Afghanistan. The Indian top order was blown away by Australia in Chepauk as Ishan Kishan, Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer were sent back for ducks.

Despite this stutter, India started their World Cup campaign with a six-wicket victory, with Virat Kohli and KL Rahul contributing with scores of 85 and an unbeaten 97, respectively.

India could make one more change to their playing XI. R Ashwin could be rested since the track in Delhi is a true batting pitch. Shardul Thakur or Mohammed Shami could replace the off spinner in the side.

Afghanistan need to be at their best against the hosts. They come into this match after being thrashed by Bangladesh in their last match.