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Former India selector Saba Karim is of the opinion that the Men in Blue's replacement for Ravindra Jadeja in the Asia Cup 2022 squad should not have been Axar Patel. With three spinners in the side — Deepak Hooda, Ravi Bishnoi and Yuzvendra Chahal — the selectors shouldn't have gone with Axar Patel, and instead, should have selected an extra pace option in Deepak Chahar, given that the side only had three fast bowlers in the team.
Karim's views came following India's loss to Pakistan, in the match where seven-time Asia Cup champions played just two pure seamers in Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Arshdeep Singh, with Avesh Khan ill and out of the match. India replaced Jadeja with Deepak Hooda in the playing XI as an all-rounder, but he did not bowl a single over.
Speaking to India News, Karim said that Chahar would have been ideal as a replacement because he is not only a T20 specialist, who can swing the ball both ways but would also have been an extra pace option saying that the selectors made a mistake by not having a reserve seam bowler in the squad, who would have walked into the side in place of Avesh.
"We saw how pacers played a major role in the first two matches. The selectors should have picked Deepak Chahar as Ravindra Jadeja's replacement as they went with three pacers in the earlier games. We already had three spinners in the squad. This shows that the selectors didn't think much while naming the replacement.
"Instead of adding Axar Patel to the squad, they could have replaced Ravindra Jadeja with Deepak Chahar. He is a specialist in the T20 format and is a wicket-taker. He swings the ball and is capable of taking early wickets. Pakistan wouldn't have been able to chase the total if he was there in this game.
"The selectors made a mistake by not having a reserve seamer in the squad. If they would have done that, then the reserve bowler could have straightaway replaced Avesh Khan in the playing XI," Karim added.
