"Is he not good enough anymore?" - Aakash Chopra on Yuzvendra Chahal's omission from India's squad for the T20I series vs Australia
Aakash Chopra has questioned whether Yuzvendra Chahal's omission from India's squad for the upcoming T20I series against Australia implies that the selectors are looking beyond him.
The Men in Blue will lock horns with the Aussies in a five-match series, with the first game to be played in Visakhapatnam on Thursday. Chahal and Sanju Samson are a couple of the prominent names missing in the Indian squad recently picked by the selectors.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra was taken aback by Chahal's non-selection. He elaborated (6:45):
"Ravi Bishnoi is there but Yuzi (Yuzvendra) Chahal isn't. It's a slightly surprising thing to me that you have virtually turned your back on him. You neither played him in ODI cricket nor are you keeping his name for T20Is. Is he not good enough anymore?"
The former India opener added that it can't be helped if the selectors have already taken a call that the leg-spinner is not worthy enough to be picked anymore. He said:
"You start getting a feeling like that, which is not a good feeling because Yuzi Chahal has done well. It seems like the selectors have made up their minds and you can't do anything if someone has made up their mind."
Chahal, with 96 scalps, is India's highest wicket-taker in T20I cricket. He has picked up nine wickets in as many T20Is this year but has been slightly expensive, having conceded an average of 8.72 runs per over.
"It is a huge statement from the selectors" - Aakash Chopra on Jitesh Sharma being picked ahead of Sanju Samson
![Sanju Samson doesn't have a great record in T20I cricket. [P/C: Twitter]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/11/355ed-17006281634730-1920.jpg?w=500)
Chopra opined that Jitesh Sharma's selection ahead of Samson is potentially a massive hint from the selectors. He said (5:30):
"Jitesh Sharma is ahead of Sanju Samson. I feel it is a huge statement from the selectors about whom they are looking towards. There is no doubt that Sanju Samson is a mighty player and a match will be played at his home (Thiruvananthapuram) as well."
Chopra reckons Samson might have been ignored because of the unavailability of vacant spots in the top order. He explained:
"His lifesize poster will be made but he won't be there. The entire stadium will sing - 'We miss you Sanju Samson'. I have started feeling that they are not thinking about him because he opens or plays at No. 3 in the IPL and they don't have a place for him there."
Samson has aggregated 374 runs at a below-par average of 19.68 in 21 T20I innings. Although he played a 40-run knock in the final T20I against Ireland, he has a top score of 13 in his other five innings this year.