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The BCCI on Monday announced a 17-member India squad for the upcoming Asia Cup. However, there have been a few notable absentees and the one who has been most talked about is Yuzvendra Chahal. The leg-spinner failed to make the cut with in-form Kuldeep Yadav being preferred over him.
Meanwhile, the exclusion of Chahal sparked debate among former cricketers. Even former Australian opener Matthew Hayden went to the extent of telling it as ‘big omission’.
“There are some big omissions. Chahal in particular. That leg-spinner is such a superb player and it must be tough for the selectors because they have also got another one in Kuldeep Yadav.... He is a superb player. So, they have gone for that as an option,” said Hayden.
Along with Hayden, former India skipper Sourav Ganguly and ex-India all-rounder Irfan Pathan also echoed similar views.
“I would pick Chahal. I would always pick wrist-spinners,” Ganguly said in an interview.
Expressing his views on Chahal’s snub, Pathan tweeted, “Worry for selectors that Bumrah and Prasidh coming back from long lay off. That’s one of the two reasons you will see Indian team playing with an extra bowler who can bat. I would have Chahal in my squad. What do you guys think.”
However, legendry cricketer Little Master Sunil Gavaskar feels it is Kuldeep’s batting, which gave him the edge.
“Sometimes you are looking at the balance of the team. Maybe, you can say that Kuldeep is a handy batter down the order, so maybe that is why he gets the nod ahead of Chahal. Also, he brings a left-hand variety,” said Gavaskar.
