India’s Asia Cup squad has unveiled a few surprises, notably including Tilak Varma for the first time in the 50-over format. However, the exclusion of Yuzvendra Chahal from the 18-player roster has sparked considerable discussion. Particularly intriguing is the absence of any leg-spinner in the squad, a point that has captured attention. While numerous former Indian cricketers have expressed their bewilderment over Chahal’s omission, his ex-Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) teammate AB de Villiers has confessed to feeling ‘disappointed’ by the absence of the spinner’s name from India’s squad.
Chahal has been a crucial figure in India’s white-ball squads throughout the years. However, despite his contributions, he has yet to participate in an ICC event for the national team. If the selection for the Asia Cup 2023 squad serves as an indicator, Chahal’s prospects for inclusion in India’s ODI World Cup squad also appear uncertain.
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Chahal’s exclusion seems to send a clear signal from the selectors about their preferred choices. AB de Villiers expressed his disappointment with the decision, emphasizing the value of having Yuzi as a skilled leg-spinning option in the team. “Chahal has been dropped, selectors making their intentions clear about who they will be picking. It’s a bit of a disappointing drop for me, Yuzi is always very handy and it’s great to have the leg-spinning option in your team. We know how skilful he is,” De Villiers mentioned in a video on his YouTube channel.
In terms of spinners, the Indian squad opted for the trio of Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav for the Asia Cup. This strategic move appears aimed at bolstering the team’s batting depth.
The composition of India’s Asia Cup Squad includes: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya (Vice-Captain), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna. Additionally, Sanju Samson has been named as the stand-by player.