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Following the announcement of India's 15-member squad for the upcoming ODI World Cup 2023, former Indian offspinner, Harbhajan Singh is of the opinion that bowlers Yuzvendra Chahal and Arshdeep Singh should have made the cut and that Chahal would break into the Playing XI for any other national team.
Describing Chahal as a 'proven match winner, Harbhajan during a recent press conference with Star Sports, Chahal is a proven match winner, someone who has taken more number of wickets than any other spinner, and if he was playing for any other country, I think he would have been in the playing XI all the time.
"Despite proving so much, I think he should be in the team. If I was part of the management, I would definitely keep him in the team. Because we are all stakeholders of Indian cricket. And we want Indian cricket to do well, he added.
Harbhajan expressed his surprise over the omission of Arshdeep Singh, alongside Chahal, from the squad. "I think there are two people missing in this team. First, Yuzvendra Chahal, and second, Arshdeep Singh. Because a left-arm seamer, if he can bring the new ball inside, it makes it useful in the game," Harbhajan stated.
He further elaborated the unique skillset that a left-arm seamer like Arshdeep brings to the table. "A"If he can get two wickets early in the game, I’m not saying that right-handers can’t do that, but a left-hand seamer can get an actual angle to get the wicket," he said. Drawing parallels with global cricketing sensations like Shaheen Shah Afridi and Australia's Mitchell Starc, Harbhajan highlighted the impact such bowlers can have on a game. "You can see how Shaheen Shah Afridi or Mitchell Starc, they have a huge impact on the game. "When Australia won the World Cup, Mitchell Starc had a huge impact on the games; he sent Brendan McCullum out on the first ball. Incoming ball, with that speed, coming into a right-hander is always challenging," he remarked.
The former India spinner also touched upon the selection of spinners in the squad. "We have chosen two left-arm spinners, and both of them will never play in the same match. The day Ravindra Jadeja plays, Axar won't," he observed. He further expressed his astonishment at the absence of a right-arm spinner in the squad, emphasizing the need for a balanced spin attack.
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