NEW DELHI: Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has raised concerns about the prolonged exclusion of leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal from India’s ODI squad. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra highlighted that Chahal last represented India in an ODI in January 2023, marking two years without a national call-up despite his impressive track record.
“An interesting case is Yuzi Chahal‘s,” Chopra remarked. “He last played in January 2023. So it’s been two years for him. His numbers are very good; he has picked up a lot of wickets and was consistently doing well. However, he has been totally finished. His file has been closed. I have got no idea why they did that.”
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Chahal, who has taken 121 wickets in 72 ODIs at a commendable average and strike rate of 27.13 and 30.9 respectively, has not featured in any format for India since August 2023.
India’s squad for the Champions Trophy 2025 includes four spin-bowling options – Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar- but Chahal was overlooked. Chopra believes that Chahal’s absence from the national team for two years effectively ended his contention for the marquee tournament.
“Because it’s been two years since his exclusion, there is no place for Yuzi also here because as soon as you suddenly pick him out of the blue, it will be seen as a regressive step,” Chopra opined.
The debate around Chahal’s absence has sparked discussions among fans and pundits alike, questioning the reasoning behind sidelining a bowler with a proven track record.