Asia Cup 2023: It Is A Bit Of A Disappointing Drop For Me As Well, We Know How Skillful And Smart He Can Be – AB de Villiers On Yuzvendra Chahal’s Omission

AB de Villiers said that he was disappointed to see star Indian spinner Yuzvendra Chahal being dropped from the India squad for the Asia Cup 2023. The 33-year-old was excluded from the India squad for the continental event, as the team went in with four proper pace bowling options in the team alongside Kuldeep Yadav being the leading spinner in the 17-men squad.

Chahal is constantly among the wickets in the white-ball format of the game. Though he has performed well for India, he could not find a place in the playing 11 in the 2022 T20 World Cup due to playing combination, and his place in the 2023 ODI World Cup is highly unlikely, with him not being in the scheme of things for Asia Cup.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, AB de Villiers expressed his disappointment over Yuzvendra Chahal’s exclusion from the India squad as he can be handy with his bowling in the Sub-continental conditions.

“It is a bit of a disappointing drop for me as well. I think Yuzi is always handy with that leg-spinning option. We know how skillful and smart he can be. But the decision has been made and it is what it is,” AB de Villiers said.

Chahal was expected to be chosen for the continental competition but was dropped in favour of Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel, where India will compete on spin-friendly surfaces in Sri Lanka.

Yuzvendra Chahal Can Still Come Back If Someone Gets Injured – Sourav Ganguly

Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly feels that Axar Patel was picked in the squad ahead of Yuzvendra Chahal due to his batting skills lower down the order and believes that India can still bring in the ace spinner if someone in the squad gets injured.

“They have picked Axar Patel ahead of Chahal because of his batting. So I think it’s a good selection. Chahal can still come back if someone gets injured. This is a 17-member squad, two, in any case, will have to move out,” Sourav Ganguly added.

Apart from his bowling abilities Axar Patel has improved his batting drastically in the last two years and can play at any position for the team. A left-and-right-hand batting partnership in the middle overs will help the Indian team tackle the spinners better in the middle-overs, which has given him an edge over Yuzvendra Chahal for the Asia Cup 2023.