Indian cricket luminary Harbhajan Singh has voiced his dismay over Yuzvendra Chahal's omission from the Asia Cup 2023 roster. The 33-year-old spinner was excluded from the 17-man squad for the continental championship.
Instead, the selectors favored Kuldeep Yadav as the sole wrist spinner, flanked by the spin all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel.
Harbhajan champions the Chahal's cause, asserting that he remains the nation's premier spinner in limited-overs cricket. He argues that a string of uninspiring performances should not tarnish Chahal's reputation as a formidable bowler.
Chahal's recent journey has been tumultuous, marked by frequent exclusions from the national squad. He was part of the roster for the ICC T20 World Cup in 2022. Yet, he never graced the field during the tournament.
The former India spinner articulated his sentiments on his YouTube channel: "The one thing that is lacking in the team is the absence of Yuzvendra Chahal. A leg-spinner who can get the ball to turn away. If you talk about genuine spinners, I don't think any spinner in India is better than Chahal in white-ball formats. His last few games weren't good, but that doesn't make him a bad bowler."
Peering into the future, Harbhajan implored the selectors to cast their gaze upon Chahal for the ICC Cricket World Cup in India that will start on October 5. He said that a player who stages a comeback possesses the potential to leave a mark, based on his rich experience.
''His presence in the team was necessary. I hope the doors aren't closed to him. It's important to consider him for the World Cup because the tournament is in India. Chahal is a proven match-winner. I can understand his form isn't good, so that you may have rested him. But if he was with the team, his confidence would've stayed intact. Any player who comes back after being dropped, the pressure to perform is always there," articulated the former cricketer.
Harbhajan's appeal has ignited discussions within the cricketing fraternity, casting a spotlight on the selection decisions preceding the ICC Cricket World Cup and the Asia Cup. As cricket fans anticipate these prestigious contests, Chahal's international career hangs in the balance, awaiting the selectors' verdict.