'Nobody knows why Ishan Kishan isn't there'

Former India opener Aakash Chopra questioned Ishan Kishan's absence from the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, starting on Thursday, January 11.

Kishan had opted out from India's two-match Test tour South Africa, citing personal reasons.

Kishan has scored 796 runs in 32 T20Is with 6 half-centuries and a strike rate of 124.37

'Jitesh Sharma and Sanju Samson are the two wicket-keepers, although Samson wasn't kept as a 'keeper in the last two series. Ishan Kishan was going as a 'keeper but he is not there now. Nobody knows why Ishan Kishan isn't there, that's a different story,' Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

'You have suddenly filled up the opening slot. Virat Kohli plays at No. 3, he doesn't play at No. 4. So the 'keeper has to bat down the order. You have only two 'keeping options who can bat down the order, one is Jitesh Sharma and the other is Sanju Samson,' the cricketer-turned-commentator asserted.

Chopra also shared his views about who would lead India at the T20 World Cup, starting on June 1.

The Indian selection committee announced a 16-member squad for the T20I series against Afghanistan, which will be played at Mohali, Bengaluru, and Indore respectively.

'Rohit Sharma is now the captain (of the Indian T20 team) and I feel he will be the captain in the World Cup as well. I feel this was a landmark selection, because if Rohit remains captain, he will play the World Cup. If he plays the World Cup, then he will be the captain,' said Chopra.

'Don't think that Hardik (Pandya) will become captain once he is back,' Chopra added. 'I can almost give it in writing. I can't guarantee anything but the chances are very less that Rohit Sharma will be there and won't be the captain.'