NEW DELHI: With Yuzvendra Chahal not picked in any of India’s white-ball squads for their tour of Sri Lanka, former left-arm spinner Venkatpathy Raju believes the leg-spinner has missed out on being selected for the series due to him not playing enough matches.
Chahal is the leading wicket-taker for India in T20Is through 96 scalps in 80 games since his debut in 2016. He was the fourth spinner picked in India's T20 World Cup winning squad after Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav, but did not get to play any matches. Moreover, in comparison to the trio, Chahal’s utility is restricted to being a genuine bowling who isn’t a big contributor with the bat and in the field as well.
"He should be playing more matches, again and again. You should always believe in yourself. Chahal has been a brilliant bowler. But unfortunately, we look more into the all-rounders. That's why we had Jadeja, then we had Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav. If Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja are part of the team, you can't keep them away from the eleven.
"Yuzi is a brilliant bowler but he missed out as he has not played enough matches. There is nothing like getting old or anything is far away from you. You can always play good matches, come back and perform. Now the biggest headache for all the selectors are that there is so much variety now.
"In that variety to pick someone, it takes real guts and Chahal is a proven match winner. The only thing is little lack of match practice. Hopefully, he plays a lot of domestic cricket and comes back strong, ” says Raju in an exclusive conversation with IANS, facilitated by Sony Sports Network.
In place of Chahal, leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi has quickly emerged as someone who can be in India’s long-term T20I scheme of things. In the tour of Zimbabwe in July, Bishnoi took six wickets in five games – where his fast googlies caused discomfort to the batters. Raju, a former national selector, believes the cycle till 2026 T20 World Cup is an ideal time for Bishnoi to become a regular figure in the Indian team.
“When you're in form, you should be getting your chances. The spinners are very, very, very important players when it comes to white-ball cricket. We've seen Chahal for a long time, but unfortunately he doesn't find a place now. So that's why we have Bishnoi, who fields brilliantly also. Then him being young, it gives you that extra advantage on the field also.
"When he bowls, it's a new variety, as he's a different bowler. He depends more on his googlies, which is in Rashid Khan mould. He's very high on his confidence now, and that also adds because when you talk about the next T20 World Cup coming, he should play as many matches as possible.
"Its because playing in India is not easy. The crowd expects too many things from this Indian team. So if you want to be a match winner, you have to perform consistently all over the way, right against the best of teams. So if Gambhir and all are smart, they'll give him more chances.
"Plus, if you see all around the world, your wrist-spinners have been match-winners for any team in T20 cricket. Bishnoi adds that variety where they can use, because Kuldeep is not there in this particular series, it again gives him that opportunity and freedom to express himself." he concluded.
Watch the live coverage of India Tour of Sri Lanka from 7 PM onwards starting on July 27, Live on Sony Sports Network.