The BCCI last month announced a strong 15-man squad to end the drought of ICC trophy wins. The name that has caught the attention of many in that squad is Ravichandran Ashwin. Newcomers like Rahul Chahar and Varun Chakraborty got a chance in the spinner-loaded squad but veteran Yuzbendra Chahal did not get a place.
Many were surprised not to see Chahal’s name in the squad list. MSK Prasad, the former head of India’s selection committee, is no exception. Surprisingly, the Indian selectors also revealed why there was a reason behind the decision.
In an interview to Sports Tak, Prasad said, “I think Chahal is the best bowler in T20 India. Has been performing very well for the last 4-5 years. Unfortunately, a comparison between Rahul Chahar and Yuzbendra Chahal began. But keep in mind that Chahal has never disappointed captain Virat Kohli on a pitch like in Bangalore. He has always brought wickets to the team. ”
There has been no continuity in form over the past several seasons
Prasad observed that Chahal’s form was not good for the last one or two years. On the other hand, the rise of Rahul Chahar has been very fast. In the last three IPLs, Rahul Chahar has taken 13, 15 and 13 wickets for Mumbai Indians. In 2020, Chahal took 6 wickets in 4 ODIs for India and took 8 wickets in 9 T20I matches.
Prasad concluded, “In the last one-and-a-half years, Chahal’s form has been declining. Rahul Chahar has again helped the Mumbai Indians win a number of important matches at the venue. Maybe that’s why the selectors have given priority to him. ”
In the team of Chahar with the speed of speed
When asked why he got the chance to bowl before Chahal, Chetan Sharma, the current head of India’s selection committee, said, “We wanted a spinner with a fast ball. So Chahar was our first choice.”
Until October 10, each team will be able to make changes to their initially selected squad. As a result, there is still a possibility of Yuzbendra Chahal joining the team.
