'Selectors Took the Right Call': Ex-Pak Spinner Says Chahal 'Doesn't Deserve to be in the Team'

Yuzvendra Chahal’s non-selection has been the biggest talking point ever since the Indian squad for the Asia Cup 2023 was announced last week. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar and captain Rohit Sharma jointly addressed a press conference on August 21 in Delhi, revealing the 17-man team for the continental event. The likes of Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul were back after injury breaks while rookie batter Tilak Varma was handed a maiden ODI call-up. The return of Jasprit Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna bolstered the pace attack but the selection of spinners raised quite a few eyebrows.

The selection committee preferred to have Kuldeep Yadav as the only wrist-spinner in the squad. All-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel were included to add depth to the batting line-up. Hence, there was no space left to accommodate Chahal the group of 17 players.

While several experts have questioned the team selection, many suggested that the squad picked up by Agarkar & Co is a good one. Former Pakistan cricketer Danish Kaneria has also joined the bandwagon, stating that Chahal was rightly dropped as the wrist spinner didn’t deserve to be in the team at the moment.

In his latest YouTube video, Kaneria opined that Kuldeep has been much better than Chahal lately and will be effective in the middle overs.

“Yuzvendra Chahal doesn’t deserve to be in Team India right now. He has been very inconsistent. Kuldeep Yadav, on the other hand, has picked up wickets regularly and can be effective in the middle overs. The selectors took the right call by going with Kuldeep over Chahal,” Kaneria said in his latest YouTube video.

Kuldeep in red-hot form

Kuldeep Yadav has been in terrific form in the last 12 months, picking up 22 wickets in 11 ODIs since January 2023. He will lead India’s spin department in the forthcoming continental championship with a proven match-winner in Ravindra Jadeja.

India’s fixtures in Asia Cup 2023

India have been placed in Group A along with Pakistan and Nepal. The men in blue will begin their campaign against Pakistan on September 2 before locking horns with Nepal on September 4; both games are to be played at Pallekele.