"If Deepak Chahar was available, his name should have been there" - Aakash Chopra on all-rounder's non-selection for IND vs AFG T20Is

Aakash Chopra has questioned Deepak Chahar's omission from India's squad for the upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan.

The Men in Blue will face Ibrahim Zadran and company in three T20Is, with the first game to be played in Mohali on Thursday, January 11. Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar and Avesh Khan are the only three frontline seamers in the 16-member squad picked by the selectors on Sunday.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra opined that Chahar should have been a part of the squad if he had made himself available. He elaborated (9:05):

"Interestingly, only three fast bowlers have been selected. Arshdeep (Singh), Mukesh Kumar and Avesh Khan are there here. Deepak Chahar was also picked for the South Africa T20Is but he didn't go because his father was not well. His father's health is better now. I am sure he must be available."

The former India opener added:

"I haven't given him a call, I should maybe. But why isn't he in the team? I can understand (Mohammed) Siraj and (Jasprit) Bumrah not being there, but I am slightly surprised that he is not there. In my opinion, if Deepak Chahar was available, his name should have been there."

Chahar has picked up 31 wickets in 25 T20Is, with his 6/7 against Bangladesh in 2019 being the best figures by a bowler from a Test-playing nation.

The seam-bowling all-rounder opted out of the final T20I against Australia and the subsequent tour of South Africa after his father suffered a stroke, and there is no clarity if he was available for selection.

---

"Now Avesh Khan has come ahead of him" - Aakash Chopra on Prasidh Krishna's exclusion from India's T20I squad

Prasidh Krishna proved extremely expensive in the T20I series against Australia. [P/C: Getty]

Aakash Chopra noted that Avesh Khan has potentially moved ahead of Prasidh Krishna in the pecking order of Indian seamers in T20Is. He observed (9:35):

"When we were playing in India last time, even Prasidh Krishna was part of the T20I side. Now he is also not there. Now Avesh Khan has come ahead of him. We have Arshdeep, Avesh Khan and Mukesh Kumar."

As for Mukesh Kumar and Arshdeep Singh's selections as the other two seamers, Chopra said:

"Mukesh Kumar bowled well. Arshdeep bowled well in patches, although he was getting hit at an average of 10 runs per over. However, he bowled well in South Africa."

Mukesh picked up three wickets but conceded an average of 11.00 runs per over in the two T20Is against South Africa. Arshdeep managed a solitary dismissal and was equally expensive. However, the left-arm seamer bounced back by picking up 10 wickets in the subsequent three-match ODI series against the Proteas.