Yuzvendra Chahal Or Kuldeep Yadav? Ex-India Star Picks First-Choice Spinner For ICC World Cup 2023

The ICC World Cup 2023 is less than 100 days away but questions remain over India's spin attack going into the competition. While Ravindra Jadeja is considered to be a valuable all-rounder option, Ravichandran Ashwin is a name that has been doing the rounds. The two other big options for India are Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal – two bowlers who have excelled in white-ball cricket. Former Indian cricket team batter Sanjay Manjrekar was asked about his choice for the spin attack and he made it clear that it is very unlikely that Chahal and Kuldeep will play together.

“I don't think so (playing two wrist spinners). Very rarely it can happen depending on the opposition. If there is a real weakness in the opposition to play wrist spin, then you have Kuldeep Yadav and Chahal both playing in the XI," Manjrekar said in an interaction with ESPNCricinfo.

"I see Chahal being part of the squad but I prefer Kuldeep Yadav when it comes to wrist-spin as the spinner in 50-over cricket. I am getting a little technical here. You need a spinner who can get wickets of batters while they are pushing, not hitting the big shots," he added.

Manjrekar also said that although he believes Chahal will be preferred for the World Cup, he personally will choose Kuldeep for the 50-overs format.

"In T20 cricket, that is something you see very often. That's how spinners get wickets. In 50-overs cricket, it's a game where you push more than you actually slog. So a spinner capable of getting those wickets is Kuldeep Yadav. So he is sort of my first-choice wrist-spinner in the playing XI and then I will be looking at other options," he explained in the interaction.