Zaheer Abbas feels the national selectors have played a big gamble by including Mohammed Asif in the Champions Trophy squad.

Asif has not played cricket in the last 16 months since playing in the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League.

He was included in the 15-man squad though he is still serving a 12-month ban for a doping offence in the first IPL tournament.

The ban will end on September 22, the day the Champions Trophy starts in Johannesburg.

"He has not played any cricket since last year and no one knows properly about his match fitness or general fitness condition. It seems to me a big gamble taken by the selectors to rush Asif into the national team," Zaheer told PTI.

"It would have been better if the selectors and board had given Asif some more time to play domestic matches after the conclusion of his ban period and then consider him for the national side," he said.

Zaheer also said that it was always be difficult for a pace bowler to make a comeback to international cricket after such a long lay-off period and that too without playing any domestic matches.

"It is a gamble considering the tough nature of the Champions Trophy and it is a decision which I feel will have a lot of influence on the performance of the team in the upcoming series," Zaheer said.

The ICC has not allowed Asif to train with the national team for the Champions Trophy because of the ban and is attending a campaign for emerging players in Karachi.

The board has also restored Asif's A-category players' central contract after his selection in the team. The contract was suspended last year in July after testing positive in dope test and spending 19 days in detention in Dubai for possession of small quantity of banned substance 'hashish'.

However, former Test batsman Basit Ali begged to differ from Abbas.

"I myself watched him bowl in the emerging players camp and his fitness level is fine. He has a whole month left to improve his fitness level and get better. I am confident that when Asif plays in the Champions Trophy, he would regain his confidence, form and fitness," Basit said.

Basit was disappointed with the omission of all-rounder Abdul Razzaq in the Champions trophy squad.

"It is a strange decision because Razzaq is an ideal one-day player and I think the selectors should have preferred him over Muhammad Yousuf. He is a class batsman in Test matches but his fielding is not good enough for limited overs cricket," he said.

Basit also felt the selectors should have picked two specialist openers in the side instead of just one -- Imran Nazir.

"On South African pitches, you need to have a good opening pair which can give you solid start," he said.