"No Spinner Better Than Yuzvendra Chahal...": Harbhajan Singh On India Star's Asia Cup Snub

24.08.2023 - 02:45 sports.ndtv.com

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has shared his views on Yuzvendra Chahal's exclusion from the World Cup squad. The veteran leg-spinner failed to make the cut for the tournament as the Indian team management gave preference to Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel.

The 33-year-old has been in and out of the side over the last two years or so. He was part of the T20 World Cup squad last year but did not play a single game Down Under as India crashed out of the tournament in the semi-final.

Harbhajan feels Chahal is India's best spinner in white-ball cricket, adding that a few bad games don't make him a bad bowler. "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.

cricket India Cricket Team Asia Cup 2023 cup on Kuldeep Yadav Yuzvendra Chahal Harbhajan Singh Axar Patel India

India's Asia Cup squad did spring a few surprises, with Tilak Varma getting the nod in the 50-over format for the first time ever while Yuzvendra Chahal had no place in the 18-man roster. Among the ommissions, Chahal's case has arguably been the most discussed one, considering there's not a single leg-spinner in the squad that was picked. While a number of former Indian cricketers have expressed their astonishment at Chahal's absence, his former Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) teammate AB de Villiers also admitted being 'disappointed' to not see the spinner's name in India's squad.

No Kuldeep Yadav Or Yuzvendra Chahal! Matthew Hayden Picks India's 15-Member World Cup 2023 Squad

Former Australian cricket team opener Matthew Hayden named his picks for India's ICC World Cup 2023 squad and it had a couple of surprises. Hayden decided to include both Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson as wicket-keeping options with Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel being the specialist spinners. While KL Rahul was included, it seemed like he would operate strictly as a batter. On the other hand, both Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal did not find a place in the squad selected by the ex-Australia star.

On India's Asia Cup Squad, Ex-Pakistan Star Points Out "Unfair" Selection

The Asia Cup 2023 is all set to kick off on August 30. India have already annouced the squad for the continental event. The 17-member team, excluding reserve Sanju Samson, picked by the selection committee was much-awaited as more or less this squad will only feature in the ODI World Cup 2023 that is set to take place in October-November in India. The selection of young batter Tilak Varma, who recently made his India debut and the axing of spinner Yuzvendra Chahal were the highlights of the squad picked by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

Yuzvendra Chahal "Doesn't Deserve To Be In Team India": Ex-Pakistan Spinner's Blunt Remark

Team India's squad for the Asia Cup 2023 was announced on Monday with skipper Rohit Sharma and BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar revealing the 18-member squad. All-rounder Hardik Pandya was promoted as Rohit's deputy for the continental event while batters KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer made their way back into team after battling through their respective injuries. However, the exclusion of Yuzvendra Chahal sparked a debate as many former cricketers lashed out at the selectors for ignoring the veteran leg-spinner.

India's Squad For ODI World Cup: Ex-Coach Includes Star Not Part Of Asia Cup In 15-Man List

The Asia Cup 2023 is only a few days away from its commencement. While the campaign begins on August 30, the Indian team will kick-start its journey on September 02 against Pakistan. While winning the tournament will be on top of Team India's agenda, Rohit Sharma's men would also look to find out the right combination for the ODI World Cup which takes place later this year. Former India batter and coach, Sanjay Bangar, picked his 15-member Indian squad for the marquee event, adding a surprise name in the list.

"Must Be Tough...": Australia Great On Yuzvendra Chahal's 'Big' Asia Cup 2023 Snub

Former Australian cricket team opener Matthew Hayden called Yuzvendra Chahal's exclusion from India's Asia Cup 2023 squad 'big' and pointed out how tough it mush have been for the selectors considering they had another good option in Kuldeep Yadav. “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,” Hayden said. The explosive opener also backed young players Shubman Gill and Tilak Varma to make the opportunity count after they were named in India's squad for the Asia Cup.