"You showed very little faith in him" - Aakash Chopra picks Yuzvendra Chahal as his Player of the Match for the 1st India vs West Indies ODI

Aakash Chopra has picked Yuzvendra Chahal as his Player of the Match for the first ODI between Team India and West Indies.

Chahal registered figures of 4/49 in his 9.5 overs to help the Indian team bowl out the visiting Caribbean side for 176 runs. The hosts then chased down the target with six wickets in hand and 22 overs to spare.

While reviewing the encounter in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra was particularly appreciative of Chahal's effort. He observed:

"The Player of the Match has to be Yuzvendra Chahal, he also got his 100th ODI wicket. In my opinion, you showed very little faith in him. When you showed faith now, you came to know that one plus one is not two but eleven."

The former India opener added that the leg-spinner was a different bowler when Washington Sundar was creating pressure from the other end. Chopra elaborated:

"When Washi was picking up wickets from the other end and keeping it tight, Yuzi Chahal's stature also grew suddenly. He is clever, cunning and playful. His desire to pick up wickets hurt the opposition team. He has been absolutely exceptional."

While Chahal scalped four wickets, Sundar returned figures of 3/30 in his nine overs. The duo bamboozled the West Indian batters as the visitors were reduced to a score of 79/7 at one stage.

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"It was being said that this match was very important for Yuzvendra Chahal" - Aakash Chopra

Yuzvendra Chahal crossed the 100-wicket mark in ODI cricket during the encounter [P/C: BCCI]

Aakash Chopra pointed out that undue pressure had been created on Chahal. He said:

"It was being said that this match was very important for him [Chahal], this series is very important because there is pressure on him. There was pressure on him because the pressure was created."

The 44-year-old attributed the pressure on Yuzvendra Chahal to inconsistent team selections. Chopra explained:

"There was no pressure on Chahal because of his performance. If you see his performances, he has been India's leading spinner in the last three to four years in white-ball cricket, whether it is a 50 or a 20-over match, whether he has to bowl 10 overs or four overs. The pressure was created because of inconsistency in selection."

Chahal was overlooked for the T20 World Cup 2021 after being a regular member of the Indian white-ball side over the last few years. Rahul Chahar, who was preferred ahead of him, has now been sidelined after playing just one match.