'What’s the update on Harshal Patel?' - Aakash Chopra questions BCCI selectors after pacer's absence

India has had a lengthy list of injured cricketers in the past few months, which caused a number of them to miss the T20 World Cup. However, the Indian team's depth has made it possible for the management to choose suitable substitutes.

However, a few of these injured players appear to have been overshadowed, either by the excellent performances of the substitutes or because of the hectic schedule of the Indian squad, which has managed to transfer attention to the upcoming series. India is currently hosting New Zealand for a three-match T20I series, the first of which concluded on Friday, January 27 in Ranchi.

During the opening match of the T20I series, former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra posed a straightforward query to the team's selection regarding one of these players.

“What’s the update on Harshal Patel? Is he still nursing an injury? He was our T20 specialist leading into the World Cup…didn’t get to play in Aus. Haven’t seen him since. #IndvNZ,” tweeted Aakash during the first T20I on Friday.

What’s the update on Harshal Patel? Is he still nursing an injury? He was our T20 specialist leading into the World Cup…didn’t get to play in Aus. Haven’t seen him since. #IndvNZ

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) January 27, 2023

A remarkable entry faded away quickly

After India's disappointing campaign at the 2021 T20 World Cup, Harshal Patel made his way into the Indian roster. Harshal was granted a very long run in the Indian T20I side as a specialist bowler following an outstanding IPL stint with the Royal Challengers Bangalore. He participated in 21 games leading up to the T20 World Cup in 2022, taking 22 wickets. He later missed the Asia Cup due to an injury.

He came back for the T20 World Cup but ended up as one of the two players who did not get a chance to appear in any matches. After the World Cup, he played just two games, one each in Sri Lanka and New Zealand series, and he is currently not a part of the ongoing T20I series against the Kiwis. Now that the Indian management has found several young and talented players, the 32-year-old’s inclusion in the Indian squad might look difficult.