The Indian team management and chief selector Ajit Agarkar have been thrown a curveball with the injury to Axar Patel, which could mean that they might be needed to name Axar’s replacement in the World Cup 2023 squad.
Axar sustained a left quadricep strain during India’s Asia Cup 2023 match against Bangladesh. India called up Washington Sundar for the final against Sri Lanka and he played in the final, though he didn’t get to bowl or bat.
Then, India also recalled Ravichandran Ashwin, who hasn’t played ODI cricket since January 2022, for the upcoming 3-ODI series against Australia. It is likely that if Axar isn’t fit in time for the World Cup, then either R Ashwin or Sundar will replace him in the World Cup squad. It is also believed that even if Axar gets fit, India are strongly considering including an off-spinner for the World Cup, and hence, they have added Ashwin and Sundar to the Australia series.
Harbhajan Singh suggests this leg-spinner should be recalled
Legendary Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh is of strong belief that instead of Ashwin or Sundar, India should include leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal in their World Cup squad.
The 33-year-old Yuzvendra Chahal last played an ODI in January this year, but was then benched and removed from the ODI setup as Kuldeep Yadav resurged. Harbhajan opined that Chahal, with his 121 wickets in 72 ODIs, is a “proven match winner” in the format and should be picked for the mega-event starting next month.
“I would like to bring Yuzvendra Chahal instead of any other player. He is a proven player and a match winner. He was the one who missed in the tournament,” Harbhajan Singh told Sports Today. “After proving so much, he should have been there in the team.”
Harbhajan opined that Axar is unlikely to get in the XI because of the presence of Jadeja; so, he reckons, it’d be better to pick a leg-spinner in Chahal.
He added: “Because we have picked two left-arm spinners and they both won’t play the same game together. And it may be so that when the opposition is packed with left-handers, Jadeja may not bowl his overs as you would want someone who can take the ball away from the left-hander. I think if you have to play three spinners you should have a left-arm spinner, a legspinner and an offspinner.”
