“Obviously you want to wear the whites” - Yuzvendra Chahal outlines Test ambitions
Yuzvendra Chahal has seen several players younger than him make their Test debuts for India. Although India haven’t considered him an option in red-ball cricket yet, the leg-spinner still harbors hopes of representing his nation in the longest format.
The 30-year-old has a solid record in first-class cricket, picking up 84 wickets in 31 games. However, the likes of Axar Patel, Washington Sundar and Shahbaz Nadeem have featured ahead of him in recent years whenever India’s frontline spinners have been unavailable for Tests.
Yuzvendra Chahal spoke to Sports Tak about his Test prospects, pointing to his stellar record in red-ball cricket over the past few years.
“Obviously, you want to wear the whites. If someone calls you a Test player, there is no bigger compliment. In the last 3-4 years, I have picked 50 wickets in the ten first-class matches, out of which two are India A games,” Chahal revealed.
Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja have been India’s frontline Test spinners for several years now, making the difference time and again. Axar Patel made a sensational start to his Test career too, running through the England side in the home series earlier in the year. But Yuzvendra Chahal isn't too bogged down for not getting a look in, admitting he needs to improve further, considering the spin options India have presently.
“You see Axar came in and did well. Ashwin, Jadeja and Kuldeep are already there, so you feel that 3-4 players are already in the reckoning and it will be difficult for you to get a chance. Especially when they are performing so well. Ashwin bhaiyya completed 400 Test wickets and Jaddu Pa has over 250 wickets. Looking at them you feel that you have to improve more to get a chance,” Chahal admitted.
Yuzvendra Chahal expected India call-up during England home series
Yuzvendra Chahal was not expecting to be part of India’s latest Test squad, with the team traveling to England for the World Test Championship final and the subsequent five-Test series against the host nation.
But the leg-spinner interestingly revealed how he was hoping he would get a call-up when England toured India earlier this year.
“No, this time I wasn’t expecting a call-up. But yes, when England toured India and some of our spinners were injured, I felt somewhere that my name my prop up,” Chahal mentioned.
Yuzvendra Chahal will get a chance to show his credentials when India take on Sri Lanka in July. He is expected to be part of the Indian squad which will play three T20Is and three ODIs against the Lankans.