Former India cricketer and commentator Aakash Chopra has criticised the Indian management's lack of clarity after Anshul Kamboj's inclusion in the squad before the fourth Test against England.
Trailing 1-2 in the series, India face selection headaches ahead of the fourth Test, compounded by mounting injury concerns in their pace attack. Akash Deep is likely to miss the match with a groin niggle, while all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy has already been ruled out of the series with a knee injury.
Arshdeep Singh is also nursing a thumb injury sustained during training and has been ruled out of the fourth Test as well. With Jasprit Bumrah available for only one of the remaining two Tests due to workload management, India have called up Kamboj as cover ahead of the penultimate Test in Old Trafford, Manchester.
Nitish Kumar Reddy - Knee injury ❌
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) July 21, 2025
Arshdeep Singh - Hand injury ❌
A double fitness blow leaves India with a selection headache ahead of the Old Trafford Test.#ENGvIND #Cricket pic.twitter.com/3t4InJmCAa
Chopra: How do you decide who to keep and let go?
On his YouTube channel, Chopra, however, has expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of "clarity" in selection following Kamboj’s call-up: "It's very interesting. There was a lot of chatter around Anshul Kamboj, having done well for India A."
Kamboj featured in India A’s two unofficial Tests in England ahead of the 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. He emerged as the joint-highest wicket-taker (5 scalps at 26.20). However, ahead of the series opener at Headingley, Harshit Rana was added to India’s main squad despite managing 1-99 in the only innings he bowled during the 'A' matches. India's decision perhaps stemmed from Rana having two Test appearances under his belt. However, he was released after their five-wicket defeat in the series opener, with Kamboj now being called up as cover.
Chopra pointed out this inconsistent selection pattern: "When an opportunity arose for someone to join the team, the management chose Harshit Rana. Anshul Kamboj was sent back home. And now Kamboj's name is cropping up again while Rana is not there.
"Then you start to wonder, 'What actually goes on?' How do you decide and determine who to keep and who to let go of? As far as India A performances go, Kamboj's was better. But if you kept Harshit Rana based on continuity (earlier), then you should have kept Rana instead of Kamboj (again).
"But now Rana isn't there and Kamboj is. So there is no clarity whatsoever. Maybe they might have the clarity, but nobody is telling us anything. This comes as a bit of a... not as a surprise, but it felt like Kamboj was anyway deserving (of a spot). So now he is going to be with the team. The worrying thing is that several pacers have been ruled out," he concluded.
Kamboj has been one of the rising stars in India’s domestic cricket, with 79 first-class wickets at an impressive average of 22.88. The 2024–25 domestic season marked his breakthrough, where he claimed 50 wickets at a stunning 14.86, including a 10-wicket haul in a Ranji Trophy innings, making him only the third bowler to achieve this feat.
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