Former India opener turned commentator Aakash Chopra said that Rahul Dravid’s belief in Deepak Chahar’s all-round ability has earned him a place in Team India’s squad for the ODI series against South Africa. However, Chahar is among six pacers who have been added to the 18-member squad for the series. The bowling lineup also included three spinners – Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravichandran Ashwin and Washington Sundar.
While talking about this in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra opened up on his views on Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Deepak Chahar: “Jasprit Bumrah as vice-captain, Bhuvnehswar Kumar, Deepak Chahar – Bhuvi has been bowling well. He bowled well in the last two T20Is we saw. Deepak Chahar was slightly expensive there but he has been kept, which is right. Rahul Dravid likes him as a package.”
He also opened up on Mohammed Shami’s exclusion as he has been given a break. Moreover, all-rounder, Hardik Pandya has not been added due to his fitness issues. And, this might give Venkatesh Iyer another chance as well.
ALSO READ: Fans react as the first Test between INDvNZ ended in a draw
“Mohammed Shami is not there, he has been rested. Prasidh Krishna, Shardul Thakur and Mohammed Siraj – there is no big name who has been missed. Ravichandran Ashwin is back. That’s an interesting one because what all options did you have – you had Rahul Chahar as an option, whom you played in the World Cup but after that, he has been kept in cold storage. They haven’t even said if he is fit or not,” he shared.
Meanwhile, the veteran also said that Ravindra Jadeja’s injury-enforced absence might see a change in the team combination as well. He said: “Washington Sundar is also back. One leg-spinner, two finger spinners, there is no Varun Chakravarthy, not even in the conversation. Ravindra Jadeja’s availability might not have been there because of which this is the composition.”
Meanwhile, Chopra believes Shikhar Dhawan might have been treated well in Test format. He last played a Test match for Team India in 2018 against England. He scored 162 runs at an average of 20.25 in the four Tests. Aakash Chopra shared his views on this.
He continued: “Test career, in my opinion, was the England tour where, to be very honest, it was not right. He could have been treated slightly better. He was played in the first match, was not played in the second, played the third, and then they dropped him. It just did not go right. He could have played continuous matches; they were changing repeatedly, and that does not go down well. Personally, that’s my issue.”
And, after that, Shikhar Dhawan was dropped for the Lord’s Test. KL Rahul, who batted at No.3 in the first Test, got the chance to open with Murali Vijay at Lord’s. However, Aakash Chopra said that Shikhar Dhawan had multiple technical deficiencies as well.
READ HERE: Wasim Jaffer names batting-order for 2nd Test vs New Zealand
He explained: “There was a time when there were continuous overseas tours, and the opener’s job was very tough on overseas tours. Shikhar had two weaknesses – one was the swinging pitched-up delivery, and he was slightly troubled by the bouncer. You cannot do well in SENA countries with two weaknesses; it is very difficult.”
“The story has gone too far from there now. That train has left the station; it is not going to come back now. His name will not come in Test cricket now. In ODI cricket also, he will have to keep holding it very tight because the World Cup is in 2023, and Shikhar Dhawan is not getting any younger by the day,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
