Cricket commentator Aakash Chopra points out the absence of Indian pacer Umesh Yadav from squads of the Duleep Trophy. Spinner Yuzvendra Chahal also misses out on the opportunity.
Duleep Trophy will be on floors from September 5th, 2024. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday, August 14th, announced four squads for the Duleep Trophy’s first round. Team A, Team B, Team C, And Team D were the four teams declared by the BCCI. While Shubman Gill will lead Team A, Abhimanyu Easwaran will be the captain of Team B. Similarly, Ruturaj Gaikwad is the skipper of Team C, and Shreyas Iyer will lead Team D.
Arshdeep Singh Is Being Prepared For The Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Aakash Chopra
In the meantime, Aakash Chopra has put forward his views on the selection of pacers for the upcoming Duleep Trophy. The 46-year-old commentator and Youtuber commented on Indian seamer Umesh Yadav’s snub from the Duleep Trophy squads. Aakash Chopra stated that every Indian pacer available is part of squads for the tournament, except for Mohammed Shami, who has a valid reason to be out. Seamer Mohammed Shami is currently undergoing injury issues.
In addition, Aakash Chopra said he is happy for Umran Malik’s inclusion in the competition. He also talked about Arshdeep Singh’s selection for Duleep’s Trophy. The commentator pointed out the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy as the main reason for the 25-year-old pacers selection. Aakash Chopra further mentioned spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel’s selection for the tournament. Aakash Chopra on a video of his YouTube channel said that,
“All fast bowlers available in India have been picked. Of course, Mohammed Shami is not there in these teams. (Ravindra) Jadeja and Axar (Patel) are also playing. Umran Malik – I am very happy for him. Arshdeep (Singh) is playing – I feel they are thinking whether he can be prepared for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy,”
Aakash Chopra addressed Mohammed Shami’s fitness issues and his absence from the competition. However, the commentator believes that all the pacers of India except for Umesh Yadav are included in the squads for the tournament. He also mentioned Yuzvendra Chahal’s absence.
“Since there is no idea about Mohammed Shami’s fitness and availability at the moment, all fast bowlers in India barring Umesh Yadav have been tried. I don’t see Yuzi (Yuzvendra) Chahal also in this. So it seems like some things are developing in a certain way,”
Morne Morkel: India’s Bowling Coach
Upon the appointment of Morne Morkel as the bowling coach for the Indian men’s cricket team, Aakash Chopra described him as a kind-hearted and soft-spoken person. He also said that Morne Morkel was with Lucknow Super Giants in the Ipl, and he and Gautam Gambhir seemed to have a good rapport. Aakash Chopra said that he is excited about how Morne Morkel prepares the Men-In Blue. He said,
“Morne Morkel is becoming this team’s bowling coach. He was with Gautam Gambhir in Lucknow (Super Giants) and he liked him. He would have told the BCCI that he wanted him. I have heard good things about him from the Lucknow camp. Personally, based on whatever I have interacted with him, he is a very kind-hearted, soft-spoken kind of person,”
“Could be actually a good one. So I am looking forward to how Morne Morkel prepares the team as the Indian coach. I think the thoughts are about the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and then the matches in England next year, five Test matches each. So you have started preparing with that point of view,”