Former Indian cricketers Venkatesh Prasad and Aakash Chopra are currently engrossed in a war of words on social media website Twitter. The two former servants of Indian cricket disagree over one hot topic: KL Rahul’s selection in Indian playing 11 in the India vs Australia Tests. Ahead of the Delhi Test, Prasad wrote long threas on Twitter to describe how Rahul has been given one chance after another despite now proving his worth when the likes of Ajinkya Rahane, Prithvi Shaw got the axe after some poor outings. Prasad also made a point that with Shubman Gill, who is in a tremendous form, opting for Rahul as first-choince opener calls for scrutiny of the management as well as the selectors. 

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Aakash Chopra, in a reply to Venkatesh Prasad’s brutal criticism on Rahul, had asked him to wait for the Test match to end to give his analysis. Prasad had then said that his thoughts were not going to change even if Rahul scored a fifty in the second innings of the Delhi Test vs Australia. Prasad did another series of thread in which he put down Rahul’s overseas Test average as many of fans pointed how well Rahul has played abroad and how little game time he has got here in India in last 2 years. Chopra then posted a screeshot of stats of India batters’ performance in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia) in the last 3 years wherein Rahul is the third best batter. 

Prasad, on Tuesday evening (February 21), posted another Twitter thread, in which he slammed Aakash for calling him a ‘agenda peddler’ in one of his videos on YouTube. 

Here’s what Prasad wrote while blasting Aakash: “So my friend Aakash Chopra after making a vile video on YouTube this morning where he calls me an agenda peddle,  conveniently and cleverly misquotes me, removes Mayank’s average of 70 at home, wants to gag views which are not in line with what he believes but wanted Rohit out. 

I have no agenda against any player, maybe there are others who have. Difference of opinion is fine but calling contrary views as apna personal agenda and Twitter par mat laayein is funny for  @cricketaakash, considering he has made a great career by airing his views. I have nothing against KL or any other player, my voice has been against unfair selection and different yardsticks for performers. Be it Sarfaraz or Kuldeep, have voiced based on merit. But it was disappointing to see Aakash calling it personal agenda.”

I admire Aakash for the hardwork he puts on his YouTube channel but calling a different view point as agenda because it doesn’t suit his narrative is poor. There is no bitterness between us and since his video was in public domain wanted to put my point out here. Best wishes
— Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) February 21, 2023

“This is what Aakash had aired when Rohit was 24 with 4 yrs in international cross. He can use sarcasm for Rohit at 24, and I cannot point out underperforming Rahul at 31 with 8 years in International cricket. Yeh bhi sahi hai

And the argument that we should not criticise a player in an ongoing match personally doesn’t make sense to me. That doesn’t affect the players performance. Most players don’t read views even after the match and no player can read in between match as phones are deposited.”

“I admire Aakash for the hardwork he puts on his YouTube channel but calling a different view point as agenda because it doesn’t suit his narrative is poor. There is no bitterness between us and since his video was in public domain wanted to put my point out here. Best wishes,” wrote Prasad.