Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram criticised the Indian team management in England for not fielding Varun Aaron in the one-day series, saying that the young paceman has been "wasted" in the seaming conditions which would have suited his bowling.
"I was expecting to see Aaron play the ODIs. But the Indian team management made a mess by not blooding Aaron in conditions that were tailor-made for the quickie. This raises questions about the communication between the selectors and the team management," Akram said.
"I would rather blood 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 at the start of his career can destroy him," said the legendary fast bowler.
"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 does not look bright," Akram told 'espnstar.com'.
Akram wondered why Aaron was named as replacement for Ishant Sharma and then made to do only drinks-carrying duty.
"I sometimes wonder why we name replacements! Is it just to fill the numbers or for a purpose? Naming replacements when a frontline player breaks down must be done with a reason. It is foolish to fly in a deserving youngster and then ask him to carry drinks or bowl at the nets. India have done just that with Varun Aaron. The young bowler has been wasted in England.
"I had congratulated the Indian selectors when they picked Aaron as Ishant'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," Akram said.
