Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra is surprised to note the exclusion of Yuzvendra Chahal from BCCI’s centrally contracted players list. The BCCI, on Wednesday, February 28, announced the central contracts for the 2023-24 season.

Along with Chahal, players like Umesh Yadav, Shikhar Dhawan, Deepak Hooda, Ishan Kishan, and Shreyas Iyer have been excluded from the contract list.

Meanwhile, Yuzvendra Chahal last played an ODI for India in January 2023 against New Zealand whereas his last appearance in the T20I format came against the West Indies in August 2023. The leg-spinner has been out of favor in the recent past and thus could not find a place in the contract list.

“I am a bit surprised that Yuzi Chahal’s name is not there. Cheteshwar Pujara, Akinkya Rahane, and Shikhar Dhawan – their names not being there, I can understand. Even Deepak Hooda for that matter. But Chahal’s name not being there – what does that signify? It seems to indicate that they [BCCI] are looking in a different direction. This is a validation of the theory. He might have had a ray of hope, but it wasn’t to be. His name is not there,” Chopra commented on his YouTube Channel.

On the other hand, Deepak Chahar was also not included in the contract list by the Indian board. Chahar had to miss matches against Afghanistan because of his father’s illness.

“Deepak Chahar was almost there I think. His father was not well, so he did not play, otherwise he would have played against Afghanistan. I was half-hoping that his name would be there, but if he plays the World Cup, and ends up playing 10 T20Is, his name would get added. But, at this point in time, it is not there. No other huge [surprises] other than that,” Chopra commented.

Chahal and Chahar will be next in action in the IPL, for Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings respectively.