"It is not a good story" - Aakash Chopra on Sarfaraz Khan being ignored for ENG vs IND 2025 Tests

Former India player Aakash Chopra has opined that Sarfaraz Khan's non-selection for the upcoming Test series against England isn't a good story. He pointed out that the Mumbai batter scored 92 runs in the first unofficial Test between India A and the England Lions, and hasn't been tested at all in an overseas Test.

India will face England in a five-match Test series, with the first game starting in Leeds on June 20. Sarfaraz, who didn't get to play a single game in the Border-Gavaskar (BGT) 2024-25, hasn't been picked in the visitors' 18-member squad for the England series.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener was asked about Sarfaraz being ignored for the Test series against England.

"Sarfaraz Khan hasn't done anything wrong thus far. In fact, he scored 90-plus in the one match he played. He couldn't score a hundred, but he scored runs. After that, you didn't play him in the next match, and he is not part of the Test team," Chopra responded (8:00).

"He hasn't failed in England, Australia and South Africa thus far, but you haven't given him a chance. It is not a good story. I can understand if you don't have confidence in his technique or playing style, that he might not be able to score runs there, then just take a call. Then don't send him with India A also," he added.

Aakash Chopra acknowledged that Sarfaraz Khan failed in the final two Tests against New Zealand after playing a 150-run knock in the first Test in Bengaluru, but highlighted that none of the other batters were among the runs either. The cricketer-turned-commentator added that the 27-year-old seems to be wronged as he wasn't even considered for a place in the XI during BGT 2024-25.

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"When a player has decided, what you and I think doesn't matter" - Aakash Chopra on whether Hardik Pandya should have played ENG vs IND 2025 Tests

Hardik Pandya hasn't played a Test match since September 2018. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra was asked whether Hardik Pandya should have played the Test series against England.

"He could have sorted out a lot of things. When he played, he did very well too. I think his body has given up, and he too has decided that this format is not for him. When a player has decided, what you and I think doesn't matter. I think Hardik Pandya is not considering Test cricket as one of the options," he replied (11:25).

The analyst added that a player cannot be forced to play Test cricket if he is not willing to play the format.

"Eventually, it's not about what India need? You also need to think about what the player wants. If the player feels this format is not for him, you have to just respect that and move on. Considering how huge our country is and the number of people who play cricket here, you will have to assume that you have other options. You will find them if you search for them," Chopra observed.

Hardik Pandya has scored 532 runs at an average of 31.29 and picked up 17 wickets at an average of 31.05 in 11 Tests. India have picked Nitish Kumar Reddy and Shardul Thakur as seam-bowling all-rounders for the Test series against England.