Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has spoken about a conversation he had with Gautam Gambhir regarding the workload of India captain Shubman Gill. Gill injured his neck during the first Test against South Africa at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, putting his participation in the second match in Guwahati in doubt.

With Gill working hard to recover in time for the second Test, discussions have begun about whether his workload has become too heavy now that he leads both the Test and ODI teams. Aakash Chopra recently weighed in on the issue and mentioned a conversation he had with Gautam Gambhir about it.

The former opener revealed that the head coach advised players to skip the IPL if they felt fatigued or overwhelmed.

“I had asked Gautam this before the Test against the West Indies, and his view was simple. If you need workload management, then sit out of the IPL. If captaining an IPL side feels too demanding, then don’t take up the role. But when you’re playing for India, as long as you’re physically fit, you shouldn’t be mentally exhausted,” he told PTI.

Chopra supported Gambhir’s comments as well, noting that when a batter is in good touch, they usually want to capitalise on that form and keep playing, as long as they aren’t experiencing burnout.

“And speaking as a batter, I agree with that view. When you’re in good form, you naturally want to make the most of it, because you never know when a lean patch might arrive or how long it will last. So if there are no fitness issues and no signs of mental fatigue, which varies from player to player, you stick with that rhythm and play as much and as often as you can,” he added.