'He always takes wickets': Shardul Thakur comments on Chahal not playing any match in WI

Yuzvendra Chahal, the talented Indian leg-spinner, has faced the unfortunate situation of being sidelined from the national team over the past year or so. Despite his impressive performances and match-winning abilities in the past, Chahal has found it challenging to secure a regular spot in the playing XI. India's preference for other spinners, such as Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav, has limited Chahal's opportunities on the field.

3 things you need to know

• Yuzvendra Chahal did not play a single ODI match against the West Indies
• Chahal was part of the squad but didn't get a chance to feature in playing XI
• Shardul Thakur has opened up on Chahal's exclusion from the ODI team

Also Read: WATCH | Rohit Sharma Tries To Bully Chahal As Virat Kohli Gives Unmissable Reaction

Shardul Thakur on Chahal's exclusion

Indian cricketer Shardul Thakur has expressed his unwavering support for Yuzvendra Chahal, emphasizing the leg-spinner's match-winning abilities despite limited opportunities this year. During India's tour of the West Indies, the team picked four spinners, including all-rounders Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja. While Kuldeep Yadav and Jadeja featured in all three ODIs, Axar got a chance as a batting all-rounder in the second ODI, but Chahal remained on the bench throughout the series. 

Shardul acknowledged the team's strong bench strength and mentioned that sometimes players might miss out on opportunities, but he praised Chahal's skills and track record. He highlighted that Chahal has proven himself over the years and is known for taking wickets in bunches, making significant contributions to the team's success.

"We have a very good bench strength. A lot of times, it may happen that someone might not get to play a series of he might miss a few matches. But, Yuzvendra Chahal is a very good player. He has performed well over the years. He has proved himself. Whether or not to play him is the management's call. I can't comment on it a lot. I don't think so that not playing one series will demoralise him or dent his confidence. Whenever he has played, he has won matches for India," Shardul said. 

Also Read: 'Tere Liye Jaan...': Shikhar Dhawan And Yuzvendra Chahal Indulge In An Endearing Exchange

Yuzi Chahal's consistency in ODIs 

Chahal has shown impressive performance in ODIs, picking up 24 wickets in 16 matches since the beginning of 2022, but has only played two matches in 2023. Kuldeep has been preferred more often alongside the first-choice spinner Jadeja in the lead-up to the World Cup due to consistent performances. It will be interesting to see if Chahal gets to play in the upcoming Asia Cup. 

Image: BCCI