"Three spinners can only play if the wickets are spin-friendly" - Yuzvendra Chahal unperturbed by recent omission from Indian ODI playing XI
Leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal was unfazed and supported the team management preferring Kuldeep Yadav ahead of him in the recently concluded ODI series against the West Indies. The 33-year-old has played in only two of India's 12 ODI games this year.
Following only six ODIs in 2020 and 2021 combined, Chahal was back in the fray in 2022, playing 14 games and picking up 21 wickets. However, Kuldeep's sensational form in the 50-over format has made him the first-choice spinner ahead of Chahal this year.
The leg-spinner did not play in any of the three ODIs in the recent West Indies series that India won 2-1.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the second T20I against the West Indies, Yuzvendra Chahal backed the selection of Kuldeep Yadav and understood the reasoning behind the team combination.
"At 7, we generally play Ravindra Jadeja or Axar Patel. Three spinners can only play if the wickets are spin friendly. Kuldeep is bowling really well, he is in a great rhythm and that’s why team is backing him. I keep working on nets so that whenever I get the chance I will grab it," Chahal sai
Kuldeep has played 11 ODIs this year and picked up 22 wickets at an impressive average of 17.18.
Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal, popularly known as 'Kulcha' together, have played only a lone ODI game together this year against New Zealand in Indore. With the management wary of a long tail, only one of the two wrist spinners have been preferred in the playing XI.
"Very happy that I am getting to wear the blue jersey every day" - Yuzvendra Chahal
Yuzvendra Chahal further emphasized his joy in wearing the Team India jersey and being with the team throughout the last few years in white-ball cricket.
Despite his recent omission from the playing XI in 50-over cricket, the Haryana-born cricketer has been a regular in the Indian side in the T20 format. He is India's all-time leading wicket-taker in the shortest format, with 93 scalps in 76 games.
"I am very happy that I am getting to wear the blue jersey every day. I am not sitting at home. I am travelling with the team. I am part of the team. I have played chess, it is an individual game but cricket is a team sport. Out of fifteen people in the squad, only eleven can play. In the past few series, when I was playing Kuldeep was not getting the chances," Chahal stated.
Chahal also stressed the importance of being prepared when the opportunity presents itself and understood missing out on a few games and series due to team balance.
"We are professional cricketers. I was playing after two months, last I played was in the IPL. It is all about the preparation. This is not an individual sport, you are playing here for your team. There are times when players has to sit out for two series, so it doesn’t mean that they are not part of the team," added Chahal.
Despite the team's defeat to the West Indies in the opening T20I, the Haryana spinner was impressive in his first game-time on the tour. Yuzvendra Chahal picked up 2/24 in his three overs to help restrict the hosts to a modest 149/6 in their 20 overs.