Ex- BCCI Chairman, Sourav Ganguly highlighted that Team India should include a leg-spinner in their lineup ahead of the ODI World Cup 2023. He also pointed out that management & selectors should consider including Yuzvendra Chahal in the lineup considering his performances in the ODI and T20I formats.
The zealous ODI World Cup 2023 will begin on October 5 in India when England will lock horns with New Zealand in the tournament opener clash. With teams already getting busy fixing their Playing XI for the big event, Ganguly shared his opinion on including Yuzvebdra Chahal in the team. According to Ganguly, the team already has a variety of options for finger spinners & including Chahal & Kuldeep will help India to have an edge over the other two teams.
“I feel India has to find a wrist-spinner for this World Cup. Jadeja is there, Ravichandran Ashwin is there, and Axar Patel is there, who according to me is also an exceptional all-rounder. (Ravi) Bishnoi and Kuldeep (Yadav) are there but (Yuzvendra) Chahal somehow misses big tournaments. He performs extremely consistently in shorter formats, whether it is 20-over or 50-over. It is important to keep an eye on him as well,” Ganguly told on Star Sports.
In the oDI World Cup 2019, Chahal featured in eight fixtures & scalped 12 wickets in his kitty for the Indian team. However, Chahal failed to book a place in the T20 World Cup 2021 & World Cup 2022 as well.
Having Wrist Spinners in the Lineup is always an Advantage, Ganguly
Sourav Ganguly further said that having a wrist-spinner in the lineup helps to have an edge against heavyweights such as Australia, England, and South Africa. He supported his claim by giving examples of the ODI World Cup 2011 & T20 World Cup 2007 where India named Piyush Chawla and Harbhajan Singh in the lineup.
“When you will play Australia, England, or South Africa, a wrist-spinner makes a difference in these conditions. In 2011, there was Piyush Chawla, who bowled well. When we went to South Africa in 2007, there also our wrist spinners bowled well along with the fast bowlers. Harbhajan Singh was on that team. I feel it will be extremely important to keep a wrist-spinner in Indian conditions,” he added.
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