The BCCI selectors, led by Ajit Agarkar, made public India’s 17-player squad for the upcoming 2023 Asia Cup on Monday (August 21). Among the notable inclusions are skipper Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, and Hardik Pandya. The squad also marks the return of middle-order stalwarts Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul. The striking omission from the 17-member squad for the continental tournament, scheduled to commence on August 30 in Multan, Pakistan, is Yuzvendra Chahal. This edition of the tournament will be jointly hosted by Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
The decision to exclude Chahal drew considerable attention, especially as India is proceeding with a solitary premier spinner in Kuldeep Yadav, supplemented by Jadeja and Axar Patel in the spin department. Several former cricketers criticized the decision by the BCCI selectors, led by Ajit Agarkar, to drop Chahal. Even former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh expressed disagreement with the call, endorsing Chahal for the upcoming home ODI World Cup set to commence right after the Asia Cup on October 05.
Through his YouTube channel, Harbhajan voiced his thoughts, stating, “The team’s absence of Yuzvendra Chahal is concerning. A leg-spinner with the ability to generate turning deliveries. When it comes to a bona fide spinner, I don’t believe anyone in India is superior to Chahal in white-ball cricket. Granted, his recent outings weren’t impressive, but that doesn’t diminish his skills as a bowler.”
He continued, “I believe his presence in the team was imperative. I hope the door isn’t closed for him. It’s crucial to consider him for the World Cup, especially since the tournament will be hosted in India. Chahal is a proven match-winner. While I acknowledge his recent form wasn’t outstanding, it might have been beneficial to retain him. Any player returning after being dropped inevitably feels the pressure to perform.”
Subsequent to the squad announcement, Captain Rohit addressed the media and elaborated on the spinners chosen for the Asia Cup. He explained, “We delved into the prospect of an off-spinner as well as a leg-spinner. Ultimately, it boils down to the batting option at No. 8 and No. 9.”
He went on, “We sought an individual capable of filling that role. Considering Axar’s recent form and contributions, particularly in white-ball cricket, we felt he fit the bill. He had fewer chances in red-ball cricket but demonstrated his batting prowess in white-ball formats, especially in the IPL. His presence provides us with the flexibility of having a left-hander higher up the order to tackle spinners. He can serve that role.”
Rohit further clarified, “We contemplated off-spin options like Ashwin and Washington Sundar, but given the constraints of a 17-member squad, Chahal had to miss out. To accommodate him, we would have had to omit one of the seamers. This wouldn’t be practical considering the crucial role of seamers in the upcoming two months, given the extensive schedule. Some of them are returning after a prolonged absence, and we aimed to evaluate their performance.”
With 72 ODIs under his belt, Chahal has taken 121 wickets in the shorter format. He was also a part of Virat Kohli-led India’s 2019 ODI World Cup journey, during which the team reached the semi-finals.
The 17-member squad for the Asia Cup includes:
Rohit Sharma (Captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammad Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Prasidh Krishna.
Post Your Comments