Former captain Sourav Ganguly has advised Team India to identify their wrist spinners for the ODI World Cup which was missed in the last couple of ICC white-ball tournaments. India picked Yuzvendra Chahal in last year’s T20 World Cup squad but he didn’t get a chance in the playing XI throughout the tournament. Chahal has been a mainstay in India’s white-ball squads for the past few years while the captains failed to use him well enough on the big occasions.
Ganguly pointed out that India already have good options when it comes to finger spinners with Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and even Ravichandran Ashwin and all three can bat also.
“I feel India have to find a wrist-spinner for this World Cup. Jadeja is there, Ravichandran Ashwin is there, Axar Patel is there, who according to me is also an exceptional all-rounder,” Ganguly told Star Sports.
The legendary batter said that India have the likes of Ravi Bishnoi and Kuldeep Yadav but it will be important for the management to keep an eye on Yuzvendra Chahal.
“(Ravi) Bishnoi and Kuldeep (Yadav) are there but (Yuzvendra) Chahal somehow misses big tournaments. He performs extremely consistently in shorter formats, whether it is 20-over or 50-over. It is important to keep an eye on him as well,” he added.
He emphasised that SENA countries find it difficult against the wrist spinners which was also the case during 2011 WC where Piyush Chawla did the job for India.
“When you will play Australia, England or South Africa, a wrist-spinner makes a difference in these conditions. In 2011, there was Piyush Chawla, who bowled well.”
The upcoming WC will be crucial for India as they have been under the scanner for their below-par performances in the recent ICC tournaments. The Men in Blue last won an ICC title way back in 2013 and it’s been over a decade since they get their hands on the mega trophy.
“When we went to South Africa in 2007, there also our wrist-spinners bowled well along with the fast bowlers. Harbhajan Singh was in that team. I feel it will be extremely important to keep a wrist-spinner in Indian conditions,” he added.
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