Chahal or Bishnoi will be part of Indian team for 2024 T20 WC: Aakash Chopra

New Delhi, Oct 17 (IANS) Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra holds the belief that one of either Yuzvendra Chahal or Ravi Bishnoi is likely to secure a spot in the Indian squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup.

Chahal did not find a place in India’s 15-member squad for the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup, happening on the home soil. A regular in India’s white-ball squads since his debut in 2016, the 33-year-old had played in 2019 Men’s ODI World Cup in England, picking 12 wickets.

"Yuzi Chahal finds himself in a situation where the Indian team keeps him with them for the whole year but when a world-level tournament arrives, they say, ‘Thank you, sir, we don’t need your services’. However, he wasn’t in top form against Mumbai on Monday in the first match, but he will definitely remain in focus," Chopra said while hosting JioCinema’s show ‘Aakashvani'.

“One of either Yuzi or Ravi will be part of the Indian team that will be selected for the 2024 T20 World Cup. So, this tournament is important for both of them. I am really looking forward to seeing how Ravi Bishnoi performs in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy," he added.

Chopra picked five bowlers whose performances he will be tracking closely during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Besides, Chahal and Bishnoi, young pace sensation Umran Malik was also in the list.

Chopra said after taking the world by storm with his fiery speed, the youngster seemed to be lost for now. "Umran Malik’s has been a beautiful story, but it’s not been a fulfilling one yet. As of now, it’s stuck somewhere. One felt that - here’s a bowler who’ll take the world by storm with his pace of over 150 km/hr, but he seems to be lost for now. He is not a regular in his IPL team.

"He got a chance in the West Indies, but that sharpness was missing. His name wasn’t there on the Asian Games list. You start thinking what happened to this boy? So, I’ll focus on him and see how the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy goes for him because I feel this kid is really good."

Arshdeep Singh was also on the list and Chopra said that there’s a feeling that the left arm-pacer's career career hasn’t really taken of. "Arshdeep’s career was rising then it plateaued slightly and then it seems to be going down. There’s a feeling that his career hasn’t really taken off. What holds true for Umran is right for Arshdeep too.

"Hyderabad didn’t handle Umran well, and Punjab did the same to Arshdeep. So hopefully, he gets a chance to rediscover his mojo in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.”

Right -arm medium pacer, Mukesh Kumar, who marked his debut his debut in the different formats of the game during the series against West Indies earlier this year, completed Chopra's list.

“There was a month in the West Indies when Mukesh Kumar was making his debut in the different formats of the game. And he was doing really well. I felt he was a dark horse for the World Cup. He was part of the Asian Games squad but didn’t get a chance to play. So, now I want to see how this tournament goes for him," Chopra concluded.