Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal is now out of favor with the Indian national selectors ahead of another ICC event. Chahal was notably absent from the Asia Cup roster revealed on Monday, but India captain Rohit Sharma has left the door open for the 33-year-old for the next ODI World Cup, which will be held at home in October and November. The cunning operator, who used to be India’s go-to middle-overs bowler, is back in his comfort zone as another World Cup approaches. Scroll down to read Leg-spinner Chahal To Miss Out On Playing 3 ICC Matches.
Leg-spinner Chahal To Miss Out On Playing 3 ICC Matches
Chahal was controversially left out of the 2021 T20 World Cup before making a comeback for the 2022 tournament in Australia when he was omitted from the starting lineup because finger spinners were favored.
Will the omission of Chahal damage India at the Asia Cup, as it did in the T20 format when Varun Chakaravarthy was selected ahead of him based on one IPL season, leading to a miserable performance for the mystery spinner as well as the team?
Before the 50-over championship match at home, India would be compelled to reconsider their options if the chosen combination didn’t do well in the continental competition. The squad also lacks an off-break bowler in addition to a right-arm wrist-spin option.
One member of the renowned “Kul-Cha” tandem, Kuldeep Yadav, has moved ahead of the other member in the standings. In the 17-member Asia Cup team, Kuldeep is the only wrist-spinner, with Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel being chosen as the superior batters.
In the World Cup, India appears to be placing a lot of faith in their fast bowlers but will Kuldeep, Axar, and Jadeja provide the crucial wickets in the middle overs?
Rohit Sharma On Squad Selection
After the roster was announced, Rohit remarked, “We considered an off-spinner as well, Ashwin and Washy (Washington Sundar), but right now you see Chahal had to miss out because we could only pick 17 players. If one of the seamen had gone missing, then and only then could we have chosen him. We can’t do that, as seamen will be very important during the following two months. We wanted to get a good look at them. Let them in, and see what they had to offer. Because some of them were returning after an extended absence.”
He continued, “Having stated that nobody is excluded from anything. Everyone is welcome at any time. As with Washy or Ashwin, we’ll see if we can squeak them in. If we feel that Chahal is necessary for the World Cup. Although Chahal has taken more wickets in the 50-over format since the beginning of 2022. The management has bet on Axar’s greater batting abilities. Since the beginning of last year, Chahal has taken 24 wickets in 16 games. Compared to the more economical left-arm spinner’s 13 in 14.”
Chahal was not chosen for the Asia Cup team. But this was not wholly unexpected. Given that he did not play in the ODI series against the West Indies. In the subsequent T20s in the Caribbean, he made breakthroughs, but the selectors were not persuaded enough.
His improbable recovery will mostly depend on how well the selected trio performs at the Asia Cup. Asia Cup starts on August 31. Is there enough time to change the selectors’ views? Though, with the tentative World Cup team expected to be announced by September 5?
Maybe, but no.
