"He is not even being allowed to fail" - Aakash Chopra's massive remark on discarded Indian batter amid IND vs SA 2025 Tests

Former cricketer Aakash Chopra made a massive remark on discarded Indian batter Sarfaraz Khan amid the Test series against South Africa at home. Sarfaraz was not included in the squad and ignored once again.

Moreover, he was not part of the India A squad for the warm-up games against South Africa A before the series. Sarfaraz has been sidelined after the New Zealand series at home. He last played a Test against them in 2024. While he was part of the squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 Down Under, he did not play a single game. The right-hander was not picked for the England series either, despite having done well in domestic cricket.

Aakash Chopra reckoned that the selectors did not have confidence in how Sarfaraz would perform overseas. However, he stated that it was unfair not to give him chances before making judgments.

"I think there is a clarity issue in the case of Sarfaraz. I think it is a case of perception and understanding. I am trying to think, they might have a perception that he may not do as well in swinging conditions and play fast bowling well. Maybe he is not our guy in SENA countries. So he did not get the chance. But even to make that perception, I have to allow him to fail. He is not even being allowed to fail. And now there is no place in the team as well," he said on Shubhankar Mishra's YouTube channel.

Sarfaraz has played six Tests, scoring 371 runs at an average of 37.10 with a hundred and three fifties. He has played 60 first-class games and has 4863 runs at an average of 63.15 with 16 hundreds and as many half-centuries.

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Aakash Chopra on Yashasvi Jaiswal in T20Is and IPL captaincy

In the same conversation, Aakash Chopra also spoke about Yashasvi Jaiswal not playing T20Is for India. With Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill opening, Jaiswal has found it difficult to make a place in the team. However, Aakash Chopra reckoned that it was unfair and hoped to see him in the squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup.

Having played 23 T20Is, the left-hander has scored 723 runs at an average of 36.15 and a strike-rate of 164.31 with a century and five fifties.

"Jaiswal is a premier player in the Indian team as well. He will be there in the ODI and T20I teams in the near future too. You can cover the sunlight with some clouds for a while, but you cannot hide it. At this point in time, it is unfair to Jaiswal, I will agree. (not being in the white-ball teams) I feel he will be in the T20 World Cup squad. I don't think the team playing now is the final team," he said.

Further, talking about his IPL franchise, Rajasthan Royals (RR), Aakash Chopra suggested that they should look to make Jaiswal the captain for the upcoming season if he demands it. With Sanju Samson traded out, it remains to be seen who will lead them going forward.

"You cannot ask for captaincy in your state team. It is not player-centric. But a franchise will have to be player-centric at times because it is a game of supply and demand. How many like Jaiswal are available? If you can maximise that asset and need to give him captaincy to do that, I would say please do it. As long as it is clear that the team will get better by that player becomes a captain, give it to them even if they demand it," Aakash Chopra said.

Jaiswal made his debut for RR in 2020 and has been a consistent performer for them through the years. In 67 games, he has scored 2166 runs at an average of 34.38 and a strike-rate of 152.85 with two hundreds and 15 half-centuries.