Yuzvendra Chahal saw himself warming the bench again as Ravichandran Ashwin was preferred over him in the India squad for the first T20I of the 3-match series against New Zealand in Jaipur. However, former New Zealand spinner Daniel Vettori has questioned the preference of off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin over leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal considering the upcoming 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia.
The Indian cricket team put their T20 World Cup 2021 disappointment behind them as they took on New Zealand in the first of the 3-match T20I series in Jaipur on Wednesday. The match marked the return of some familiar and some new faces, but leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal had to settle for the bench again as he was overlooked in the playing XI for the opening contest.
Yuzvendra Chahal Was Omitted From T20I World Cup Squad And Starting XI For 1st T20I vs NZ Despite Consistent Showing In IPL 2021
Deepak Chahar, Axar Patel, Shreyas Iyer, and Mohammed Siraj were some of the faces who were recalled in India’s T20I team after a number of senior players were rested. All-rounder Venkatesh Iyer also got the nod, earning his maiden India cap, but the absence of Yuzvendra Chahal from the team did leave a few surprised.
Former New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori was one of those who were left baffled by the team management’s decision to leave out Yuzvendra Chahal and play Ravichandran Ashwin instead. Daniel Vettori questioned the inclusion of Ravichandran Ashwin over Yuzvendra Chahal, considering the team is being built, keeping the next 2022 T20 World Cup in mind.
“Venkatesh Iyer, who is being rewarded for his form in the IPL. It’s sad to see Chahal not being given the same opportunity. We all know what Ashwin can do, is he going to be in the starting XI for the World Cup next year, who knows?
“But Chahal was bowling exceptionally well and was a wicket-taking option for Kohli throughout the IPL. He is one of the best T20 leggies in the world,” said Vettori.
Yuzvendra Chahal missed the bus to T20 World Cup 2021 owing to some inconsistent performances, both for India as well as in the first half of the Indian Premier League for Royal Challengers Bangalore. Varun Chakravarthy, Rahul Chahar, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Ravindra Jadeja were the spin options for India in the 2021 T20I World Cup.
Yuzvendra Chahal was left out of the Indian squad for the T20I World Cup 2021, and he wasn’t named in the reserves as well, owing to his poor form. Even in phase one of IPL 2021 in India, Yuzvendra Chahal could pick up just 4 wickets in 6 games at a high bowling average and never looked in a good rhythm.
However, he has been a revelation since the start of the UAE phase of IPL 2021. Yuzvendra Chahal has picked up 14 wickets in 8 games in UAE with an excellent economic rate.
Yuzvendra Chahal Deserved Opportunity To Comeback In Starting XI: Daniel Vettori
However, as the wrist-spinner made his return to India’s T20 squad for the New Zealand series after an impressive show in the UAE-leg of IPL, Daniel Vettori expected him to be in the starting XI.
“At the time, the decision was probably right to leave him out of the World Cup squad but then the Chahal that we saw in the IPL, was the Chahal we all know.
“Chahal bowled quicker in the IPL, trying to spin more, and attacked the stumps more often. So, I thought he deserved the opportunity to come back into the starting XI tonight after being left out earlier,” said the Kiwi legend.
