India captain Rohit Sharma took an indirect swipe at leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who did not find a place in the national squad for the Asia Cup, which begins in Multan on Wednesday.
The omission of Yuzvendra Chahal has become a hot topic in cricketing circles, with many former players, including South Africa great AB de Villiers, criticizing the move.
The former South Africa skipper, who has spent considerable time with the Indian bowler during his stint with the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the Indian Premier League, called the move “disappointing.”
“Chahal has been dropped, selectors making their intentions clear who they will be picking. It's a bit of disappointing drop for me, Yuzi is always very handy and it's great to have the leg-spinning option in your team. We know how skillful he is,” AB de Villiers said on his YouTube channel.
Over the years, Yuzvendra Chahal has been a proven match-winner for India in white-ball cricket. Notably, the Haryana tweaker has collected 121 wickets in 72 ODIs for India, with the best figures of 6/42 against Australia in Melbourne in 2019.
Moreover, many experts believe wrist spinners are a commodity on the verge of extinction in international cricket, especially in limited-overs games. Over the world, most teams have deployed them to disrupt proceedings during the middle overs, primarily to take the opposition's wickets to keep their charge toward a big total in check.
Yuzvendra Chahal has been a vital cog in India's scheme of things in T20Is and 50-over games because of his ability to take wickets, something Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid have often asserted is vital for the side after the initial powerplay.
AB de Villiers is not the first cricketer to pose questions in front of Indian selectors regarding his omission from the 17-men Indian cricket team selected for the Asia Cup.
Indian great Sourav Ganguly, Australia legend Matthew Hayden, cricketer-turned-commentator Irfan Pathan, the legendary Harbhajan Singh, and cricket pundit Aakash Chopra were not happy with Yuzvendra Chahal's exclusion from Team India's Asia Cup squad.
“There're some big omissions. Chahal in particular, that leg-spinner is such a superb player and (it) must be tough for the selectors because they've also got another one in Kuldeep (Yadav)…. he's a superb player. So, they've gone for that as an option,” Matthew Hayden said in an interaction with PTI.
“I would pick Chahal. I would always pick wrist-spinners,” Sourav Ganguly said in an interview with Hindustan Times.
Sharing his views on the matter on X, previously Twitter, Irfan Pathan posted: “Worry for selectors that Bumrah and Prasidh coming back from long lay off. That’s one of the two reasons you will see Indian team playing with an extra bowler who can bat. I would have Chahal in my squad. What do you guys think?”
Ex-India opener Aakash Chopra reflected on the development and predicted that Yuzvendra Chahal's chances of securing a place in the Rohit Sharma-led side for the World Cup in October were grim.
“You are going with just one wrist-spinner in this tournament. I feel you won't be able to create a place for Yuzi (Yuzvendra) Chahal for the World Cup as well because if it wasn't created here, it won't be created there as well unless there is an injury,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
“I feel we have a slight obsession that we need a batter at No. 8. We have Jaddu (Ravindra Jadeja), Axar (Patel) and Shardul Thakur, who can both bat and bowl. So you want all-rounders at No. 7 and No. 8 and because of that, you are unable to create a place for Yuzi Chahal,” he summed up.
Unlike Aakash Chopra, legendary India spinner Harbhajan Singh was optimistic about Yuzvendra Chahal's inclusion in the World Cup squad.
Harbhajan Singh even called Yuzvendra Chahal the best Indian bowler in shorter forms of cricket.
“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 remarked.
“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,” he argued.
Despite mounting criticism of Team India's move to omit Yuzvendra Chahal from the side, Rohit Sharma defended the decision.
“While picking the best combination, there will be guys who will miss out for various reasons and Rahul bhai (Dravid) and I have tried our best to explain to the players why they are not in the squad. We have tried to communicate with the players after every selection and playing XI that has been announced. We talk to them face to face, one-on-one why they have not been picked,” Rohit Sharma said in an interaction with PTI.
“It's not like, I don't like this person, so I am dropping him. Captaincy is not based on personal likes and dislikes. If anyone misses out, there is a reason for it. If you are the unlucky one, we can do nothing.”
“Sometimes, I try and put myself in their shoes. When I wasn't picked in 2011, it was such a heart-breaking moment for me and I felt what's left after being dropped from a World Cup squad?,” the Indian skipper added.
“I was sad and sitting in my room and didn't know what to do next. I remember Yuvi (Yuvraj Singh) calling me to his room and taking me out for dinner. He explained to me how it feels when you are left out. He told me, ‘the best thing is that you have so many years in-front of you. As we play in the World Cup, you take this chance to work hard on your game, skills and make a comeback. There is no way that you won't play for India or not get a chance to play in the World Cup',” he recalled.
“I went back to the drawing board, worked hard and immediately after the World Cup, I made a comeback and it has been good since then. Since this is me, who has gone through this emotion, no one can tell me that ‘easier said than done'. I have faced exclusion in a World Cup, and I know how it exactly feels,” Rohit Sharma signed off.
The Asia Cup tournament is crucial for India, given that they will host the ODI World Cup in October and November. Winning the Asia Cup will provide momentum to the Men in Blue ahead of their World Cup campaign, something Rohit Sharma will cherish, especially when the Indian cricket team has not won an ICC event in the last decade.
It has been ten years since India lifted an ICC title when they captured the Champions Trophy under the legendary MS Dhoni in England in 2013.
In addition, India's last World Cup victory came in 2011, while their latest Asia Cup triumph was in 2018.
Rohit Sharma and his boys open their Asia Cup campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Sri Lanka on September 2.
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