Many of you asked why Mohammed Shami hasn’t been included in the squad for the Australia tour — not in ODIs, not in T20s. What’s next for him?
Honestly, this isn’t a great sign. His chances of returning to the Indian setup look slim unless he delivers an incredible IPL performance. He’s playing domestic cricket and has made it clear he just wants to focus on playing — and that’s absolutely fine.
But the truth is, he’s fallen behind in the race. Though India’s fast-bowling pool isn’t massive, his recall chances are low unless he stuns everyone in IPL. I even feel that Hyderabad might release him from their team. Still, let’s hope he bounces back strong — because when Shami bowls well, he’s simply brilliant.
Why Does Harshit Rana Keep Getting Selected?
Another popular question from Saurabh and the “Cricket with Raj” community — why is Harshit Rana’s name in every squad?
Let’s clear one thing: it’s not his fault. Player selections are made by five selectors, with input from the captain and coach, though they don’t hold voting rights.
If his name appears consistently, that’s not on him — so let’s stop trolling the player. Harshit has potential — he bowls well, can bat decently, and has shown promise whenever he’s played.
Remember his concussion-substitute appearance? He delivered a Player of the Match performance! Give him some time; he’s a talented cricketer who deserves patience, not criticism.
Can India Have Different Captains for Each Format?
Archisman Mishra asked — why can’t we have separate captains for all three formats?
It sounds logical, but here’s the problem: Indian cricket needs one unified direction.
If every format has a different captain, soon you’ll want different coaches too. Then where’s the synergy?
Every captain would want the same best players, ignoring workload management. Imagine Bumrah, Kuldeep, and Siraj being demanded in every team — that’s chaos.
So ideally, there should be a maximum of two captains — one for red-ball and one for white-ball cricket. That’s a balanced approach.
Should India Play More Day-Night Tests?
Dhvaj Mishra asked an interesting question: should India play more day-night Test matches, especially against West Indies and Bangladesh?
I completely agree. Why do we play pink-ball Tests only in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy? It’s inconsistent. If we can play in Australia, why not at home or against other teams?
Day-night Tests bring excitement and viewership back to Test cricket. The pink ball adds drama, and fans love it. So yes, India must play more day-night Tests.
Planning Ahead: India’s 2027 World Cup Squad
Ritvik Punjabi asked what changes I’d like to see in the 2027 World Cup squad compared to 2023.
Not too many, honestly. If Rohit Sharma continues scoring and leading well, he stays. Virat Kohli at No. 3 is non-negotiable — one of the greatest ODI players ever.
Alongside them:
- Shreyas Iyer
- KL Rahul
- Hardik Pandya
- Either Axar Patel or Ravindra Jadeja
- Kuldeep Yadav
- A new fast bowler like Avesh Khan could step in for Shami
If Rohit’s form dips, Yashasvi Jaiswal is my pick. If Kohli’s form drops, we’ll need to rethink. But let’s hope that’s not the case.
Why Are Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli Always Mentioned Together?
Rishabh Sarkar pointed out — why do we always take Rohit and Kohli’s names together, despite differences in runs, centuries, and fitness?
Valid question. They are both legends of Indian cricket, and comparisons are natural. But going forward, both will be judged individually on form and performance.
Cricket is merit-based — whoever scores runs will play, whoever doesn’t, won’t. Earlier, it was easier to survive dips in one format by performing in another. Not anymore.
The reason their names come together is simple — they’ve shared similar career timelines and may retire around the same period. Two greats, one generation — naturally, they’ll be mentioned in the same breath.
What Is the Role of a Vice-Captain?
Gaurav Das asked an underrated question — what exactly does a vice-captain do, and why does it keep changing?
Ideally, a vice-captain is the second-in-command, the next leader in line. But in India, we often don’t take that role seriously enough.
From Hardik Pandya to KL Rahul, Axar Patel, Shubman Gill, Jadeja, and now Rishabh Pant — the position keeps rotating.
The vice-captain’s job is to step up when the captain is unavailable, both tactically and mentally. Unfortunately, we treat it more as a formality than a strategic role.
Can Dhruv Jurel Bat at No. 3?
“The Men Says” asked whether selectors and coaches should consider Dhruv Jurel at No. 3 and Rishabh Pant at No. 5.
Honestly, No. 3 is too early for Jurel. He’s a middle-order player, better suited at No. 6, with Jadeja at 7 and Washington Sundar at 8.
If you’re not happy with current No. 3 options, try Abhimanyu Easwaran, but don’t push Jurel too high too soon — it might hurt his development.
Why Is Jasprit Bumrah Playing Two Tests But Skipping ODIs?
Abhishek Abhinav Jhagji raised a sharp point — why is Jasprit Bumrah playing Tests in Australia but skipping the ODI series?
Simple: ODIs currently hold less importance. With the next ODI World Cup two years away, focus has shifted to T20s and the World Test Championship.
There’s no real challenge in this ODI series, and Bumrah deserves rest to manage his workload. He knows his body best, and saving him for bigger tournaments makes complete sense.
Wrapping Up: The Future of Aakashvani
That’s all for today! Don’t forget to like, share, subscribe, and hit the notification bell.
Also, tell me your thoughts about the upgraded version of Aakashvani — should we make it a proper daily show with multiple segments, sports wrap-ups, and storytelling elements?
Right now, our “piece-to-camera” format is simple and raw. Turning it into a well-produced, editorially planned show would take more resources, planning, and effort — but if you want it, we’ll make it happen!
Let me know in the comments — would you like to see Aakashvani 2.0 as a full-fledged, modern sports show?
