"Is there still a question mark on their fitness?" - Aakash Chopra on KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer's non-inclusion in India's squad for Ireland T20Is

Aakash Chopra has questioned whether KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer's non-inclusion in India's squad for the upcoming T20I series against Ireland implies that the duo have not yet regained fitness.

The Men in Blue will lock horns with Ireland in three T20Is, with the first game to be played in Dublin on August 18. While Jasprit Bumrah has been included in the 15-member Indian squad for the series, Rahul and Shreyas have not been picked.

While reflecting on the development in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra was happy about Bumrah's return but raised doubts about Rahul and Shreyas' fitness, saying:

"Jasprit Bumrah is back. Jasprit Bumrah is not only available for the three T20Is against Ireland but is also the captain of the Indian team. But both KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer's names are not there for the Ireland series. Is there still a question mark on their fitness?"

The former Indian opener highlighted the importance of Bumrah getting a chance to prove his fitness, elaborating:

"The big news is absolutely Jasprit Bumrah. He is 24-carat pure gold. He is a national asset. We have to preserve him. However, it has happened at least twice where his name has come and then he pulled back. It is important to see that now that his name has come, he is fit, ready and available, and he plays. He needs to play."

Bumrah hasn't played any competitive cricket since September 2022. He missed last year's T20 World Cup and underwent surgery for a recurring back issue.

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"Will KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer not be ready for the Asia Cup?" - Aakash Chopra

Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul are integral members of India's ODI middle order.

Aakash Chopra questioned whether KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer would be fit and available for the Asia Cup, stating:

"You might say Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul's names are not there because it is a different format. But it is a different format for Jasprit Bumrah as well. Will KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer not be ready for the Asia Cup?"

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that the duo's potential absence from the World Cup could put the hosts in a tight spot, observing:

"If that is going to be the case, all hell will break loose because we are assuming that they will come. If they will not come and are out of the World Cup race, it will become very difficult. It will become difficult to create the balance. So I am now slightly worried because we don't get much information."

Shreyas and Rahul, if they are fit and available, will likely be India's first-choice No. 4 and No. 5 respectively for the Asia Cup and World Cup later this year. Rohit Sharma and Co.'s experimentation in the ongoing ODI series against the West Indies has raised further doubts over the duo's availability for the continental and global events.