The upcoming T20 World Cup in 2024, set to take place in the USA and West Indies, is expected to favor spinners due to the nature of the pitches.
Team India concluded their final T20I series before the upcoming T20 World Cup with a resounding 3-0 victory against Afghanistan earlier this month. This series was particularly significant as it marked the return of captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who had been absent from the format for over 14 months. Unfortunately, regular T20I players Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav were unable to participate due to injuries.
The spin attack played a pivotal role in India's success, with Ravi Bishnoi, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar leading the charge. Among them, Axar emerged as the standout performer, showcasing his exceptional skills. In the first two matches, Axar displayed his brilliance by registering figures of 2/23 and 2/17. However, he was rested for the final match in Bengaluru, which ultimately resulted in a thrilling Double Super Over finish.
Over the past year, Yuzvendra Chahal, one of India's top spinners, has experienced a decline in his presence in the white-ball format. Once a regular in ODIs and T20Is, Chahal lost his place in the side before the ODI World Cup last year. Although he made a comeback to the ODI squad against South Africa in December, he has yet to return to the shortest format of the game. This absence from the T20I side has left former India spinner Harbhajan Singh puzzled.
Harbhajan Singh, in an interview with Hindustan Times, expressed his confusion regarding Chahal's exclusion from the T20I team. He considers Chahal to be a crucial component in the Indian T20 side and believes that the leg-spinner should be the first choice among spinners, especially as they prepare for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Harbhajan expressed his perplexity regarding Chahal's omission from the Indian squad, emphasizing the difficulty in deciphering the rationale behind it. He firmly believes that Chahal should be the top choice among slow bowlers for the team.
“I would keep Yuzvendra Chahal ahead (for the first slot among spinners),” Harbhajan told Hindustan Times.
“He is being ignored; I don’t know why. I don’t think he knows as well. But even today, I don’t think there is a better leg-spinner in the country. And I don’t think there is a braver spinner than him. He has a very sharp mind. The second spinner for me would be Ravindra Jadeja. You need to have an off-spinner in Washington Sundar as well. Now, what selectors think, what the management thinks, is a different thing,” Harbhajan added.
The upcoming T20 World Cup in 2024, set to take place in the USA and West Indies, is expected to favor spinners due to the nature of the pitches. Harbhajan Singh, a renowned Indian cricketer, expressed his belief that the Indian management should prioritize strengthening their spin attack for this significant tournament. He highlighted the similarity between the pitches in the Caribbean and those in India, where spinners play a crucial role. Emphasizing the importance of this strategy, the 43-year-old suggested that India should include a minimum of three spinners in their squad.
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 "'There's no better, braver spinner than him': Harbhajan Singh baffled at leggie's absence from Indian T20I side")
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