With every passing day, the excitement around the announcement of India’s 2024 T20 World Cup squad is increasing. One of the unluckiest cricketers to be not part of the T20 World Cup is Yuzvendra Chahal.
The veteran leg-spinner was omitted from the 2021 T20 World Cup and didn’t get a chance in the playing eleven during the 2022 T20 World Cup. Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan believes that India should go to the West Indies and the United States of America (USA) with five specialist bowlers, along with two wrist spinners.
Yuzvendra Chahal became the first bowler to pick up his 200th wicket in the Indian Premier League against Mumbai Indians, in the form of Mohammed Nabi.
“We are talking about Yuzvendra Chahal only because of IPL”- Irfan Pathan
Irfan Pathan hasn’t shown his green signal to the Rajasthan Royals leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
“You need five good bowlers- that’s a must. What are your wicket-taking options? When you’re talking about Ravindra Jadeja at No. 8 and playing as a spin (all-rounder), I would rather have two wrist-spinners playing.” Pathan spoke to Star Sports.
“I would rather have two proper wrist-spinners playing, (Ravi) Bishnoi, and Kuldeep (Yadav), in my playing XI. If you look at Bishnoi’s numbers, you know, when he played, he was pretty good.’
Ravi Bishnoi has been part of 24 T20Is for India, where he has collected 36 wickets at a decent economy of 7.50. However, in this IPL 2024, Bishnoi has struggled to take just five wickets in nine innings at an economy of 8.77. Yuzvendra Chahal, on the other hand, is the joint third-highest wicket-taker of the IPL 2024 with 13 scalps, at a high economy of nine.
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“Yes, we’re talking about Chahal right now because of the IPL performances but don’t forget the fielding part of it as well. If you have to balance the fielding, you have to balance where a bowler can bowl at a particular area.” Pathan added.
According to the member of India’s 2007 T20 World Cup team, Jasprit Bumrah is the only lock-in among the bowlers.
“There is only one player who you can blindly say (certain to be selected) is Jasprit Bumrah. But apart from Bumrah, you need at least two fast bowlers who can be part of the regular XI.” The former India player said.
Yuzvendra Chahal, however, has the most wickets in the IPL since the start of 2020. In 70 innings, the leg-spinner has picked up 100 wickets with four four-wicket hauls, and a best of 5/40. The 7.70 economy rate from Yuzvendra Chahal is so impressive too.
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Former India opener, Kris Srikkanth isn’t in favor of having Mohammad Siraj for the T20 World Cup,
“Bumrah is in the squad. Arshdeep as well. But the third pace can’t be Siraj. He’ll bowl well in one game and not perform in 10 games.” Srikkanth calls Siraj an erratic bowler.
However, Tom Moddy trusts that India quick needs to be considered for the World Cup, because of what he did in the IPL last year, and recently for India.
The inaugural champions will begin their World Cup campaign against Ireland on June 05 at the Nassau Cricket Stadium, New York.
