India wasted talented Aaron in England, says Akram

New Delhi, Sep 15   Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram feels that India wasted young express fast bowler Varun Aaron by not playing him in the One-Day Internationals against England. "It is foolish to fly in a deserving youngster and then ask him to carry drinks to the field or bowl at the nets. India have done just that with Varun Aaron. The young bowler has been wasted in England," Akram wrote in his column in Mobile ESPN.
"I had congratulated the Indian selectors when they picked Aaron as Ishant Sharma's replacement. The young boy was the right choice as he had done well on the Emerging Players' tour in Australia and deserved to be part of the Indian dressing room on a difficult tour of England. But the Indian team management made a mess by not blooding Aaron in conditions that were tailor-made for the quickie," said Akram.
The legendary fast bowler said had he been the captain he would have rather blooded Aaron in England because the seaming conditions are ideal for him.
"It will be silly to give Aaron a start on Indian wickets. On placid tracks where he will get little support, two bad matches in the start of his career can destroy him. In my book, Aaron has a future and India can ill afford to ruin him because the current pace attack is not in good shape and the future doesn't look bright. I was expecting to see Aaron play the ODIs. This raises questions about the communication between the selectors and the team management," he said.
Akram also said that Ajinkya Rahane and Parthiv Patel have done well for themselves.
"I would like to see them playing for India in home conditions. Having done quite well on difficult English wickets, both deserve an opportunity when England tour India after the Champions League T20. Rahane and Patel should not be used as plug-in players. Ironically, players who have done well for India in the England series are turning out to be the substitutes! Ravindra Jadeja is another case in point," he said.