Travis Head has been released from the squad ahead of the final two T20Is, giving him the opportunity to play in the Sheffield Shield in preparation for the upcoming Ashes. Sean Abbott has also been cleared to join New South Wales for their next Sheffield Shield match. Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav will also return home to play the second unofficial Test between India A and South Africa A.
In a video uploaded on his official YouTube channel, former India opener Aakash Chopra wondered if the situation is under fire Shubman Gill could have also returned to India with Kuldeep.
“Travis Head is now coming off the T20I series. He is going to practice with the red ball as the Ashes are coming up. Kuldeep Yadav has also returned home as he is going to play for India A against South Africa A so that he can also prepare for red ball cricket. I wonder if Shubman Gill should have been sent back too,” he said.
Chopra wondered why India and Australia will play the T20I series if they are going to give more priority to their subsequent red-ball assignments.
“Josh Hazlewood wasn’t there yet. Glenn Maxwell may become available now, but Travis Head won’t be there. It’s a strange series. It’s a bilateral series, but is it actually an important series? If preparations for something else are more important compared to what’s happening at the moment, that means this isn’t that important. Then why are they playing?” he observed.
The series has an intriguing set-up after India drew at 1-1 with a five-wicket win in the third T20I in Hobart. The fourth match is scheduled for Thursday, November 6 in Queensland.
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