Former Indian Spin Legend Baffled by Yuzvendra Chahal’s Snub for the Asia Cup 2023
Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has expressed his reservations about Yuzvendra Chahal’s exclusion from India’s 17-man squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2023. The surprise omission of Chahal, a renowned leg-spinner, raised eyebrows, especially as Kuldeep Yadav was chosen ahead of him. The squad also features the spin all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel, both of whom are left-arm spinners, unlike Chahal who bowls with his right arm.
Chahal and Asia Cup 2023
The decision to leave out Yuzvendra Chahal from the Asia Cup 2023 squad was a tough one made by the Indian team. During a press conference, Indian captain Rohit Sharma and chief selector Ajit Agarkar addressed the situation, shedding light on the factors behind Chahal’s absence. Agarkar explained that Kuldeep Yadav had a slight edge over Chahal and elaborated on the challenge of accommodating two wrist-spinners while maintaining team balance. Rohit emphasized that players like Shardul Thakur and Axar Patel were backed due to their batting contributions.
Currently, India possesses only one wrist spinner in the form of Kuldeep, with Axar and Jadeja being the alternative spin-bowling choices in the squad. Interestingly, on the same day, Chahal shared a cryptic post on his social media platforms, conveying his emotions through a sequence of emojis.
Harbhajan, in his official YouTube channel, expressed his thoughts on the matter. He highlighted the absence of Yuzvendra Chahal, emphasizing the need for a leg-spinner who can extract turn from the pitch. The Turbanator noted that while Chahal had faced a decline in performance recently, he still remains an exceptional white-ball spinner. He believed Chahal’s presence in the team was crucial and expressed hope that his exclusion is not permanent.
Chahal is India’s best bet in white-ball cricket reckons Harbhajan
“The one thing I feel is lacking in the team is the absence of Yuzvendra Chahal. A leg-spinner who can get the ball to turn away. If you talk about genuine spinner, I don’t think there’s any spinner in India better than Chahal in white-ball formats. Yes, his last few games weren’t good, but that doesn’t make him a bad bowler,” Harbhajan Singh said on his official YouTube channel.
Harbhajan also stressed the importance of considering Chahal for the World Cup, especially since the tournament will be hosted in India. Despite his recent form slump, Harbhajan argued that keeping Chahal within the team could have maintained his confidence. He emphasized that players returning after being dropped usually face additional pressure to perform well.
“I think his presence in the team was necessary. I hope the doors aren’t closed to him. It’s important to consider him for the World Cup because the tournament is in India. Chahal is a proven match-winner. I can understand his form isn’t good, so you may have rested him. But I think if he was with the team, his confidence would’ve stayed intact. Any player who comes back after being dropped, the pressure to perform is always there,” concluded Harbhajan.
19:30 IST
