"Give them a chance right now otherwise it might be late"- Harbhajan Singh urges BCCI to hand Jaiswal, Rinku India call-ups
Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh feels that the breakout stars of the IPL 2023 season like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rinku Singh deserve to be included in the Indian squad on the back of their performances.
Jaiswal has been sensational for the Rajasthan Royals, scoring 575 runs in the tournament so far at a sensational strike rate of 161.18. Rinku has done well for the Kolkata Knight Riders as a finisher, scoring 407 runs at a strike rate of 143.3. Harbhajan feels it's not too early for the duo to get a look into the national team as they have performed against quality bowling.
Here's what Harbhajan Singh was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times about Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rinku Singh:
"I feel this is probably the right time for Rinku and Yashasvi to be in the closer group of players. Make them part of the 20 or 30-man group. For talents like Yashasvi and Rinku, the perception might be it's too early but truth be told, it's not. They are already playing at this level and playing well at that. Give them a chance right now otherwise it might be late."
Arjun Tendulkar will make a strong comeback: Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh also opined on another youngster in Arjun Tendulkar. The Mumbai Indians pacer was carted to all parts of the ground against the Punjab Kings where he conceded 31 runs in an over. He has also been dropped from the team and is still waiting for his next opportunity.
However, Harbhajan feels such tough experiences will only teach Arjun where exactly he needs to work to get better. He stated:
"We all saw that one expensive 31-run over – even the big players have gotten smashed for runs – but the good thing is that he will learn. Had he not played, he wouldn't have understood the harsh reality of this game. In the end, only when you participate in a race and lag behind is when you realise that you need to work more on yourself. He would know what are the areas he needs to work on and how to make a comeback. And he'll make a strong comeback, as a better player."
It will be interesting to see how many breakout stars of the IPL 2023 season get a place in the Indian squad for the West Indies T20Is later this year.