Despite Kuldeep Yadav's phenomenal run in 2023, Harbhajan Singh, the former Indian cricketer, expressed his preference for Ravichandran Ashwin in India's playing XI for the upcoming World Cup. Kuldeep's recent performances have been a major factor behind India's cricketing triumphs, especially in the Asia Cup 2023. He holds the distinguished position of being the top wicket-taker for India in the men's ODIs in 2023, boasting a tally of 33 scalps.
His remarkable performance in the Asia Cup 2023 further solidified his place, where he dismantled Pakistan's batting order, taking a staggering five wickets and giving away just 25 runs in eight overs. This feat ensured Kuldeep's place in the record books, registering the best figures by an Indian left-arm bowler in ODIs against Pakistan. His exceptional contributions during the Asia Cup led to him being named the player of the tournament.
Contrastingly, R Ashwin made a comeback into the ODI frame during the series against Australia. He secured a berth in the World Cup squad as a replacement for the injured Axar Patel.
In an exclusive interview with Cricinfo, when Harbhajan Singh was probed to suggest his perfect bowling lineup for India in the World Cup, he chose pace bowlers Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Mohammed Shami without hesitation. However, the intriguing part came when he leaned towards Ashwin over the in-form Kuldeep Yadav as his spinner of choice for the playing XI. Emphasizing Ashwin's all-round abilities, Harbhajan highlighted the fact that Ashwin's batting skills can be an added asset to the team.
"If you want a proven bowler, I would go with R Ashwin alongside Ravindra Jadeja," said Harbhajan.
"Yes, because Ashwin can bat as well.
"That's where you have to back your guy who has done it. If he doesn't, then you can have a guy who can come in and perform like Kuldeep," he added.
This preference voiced by the cricketing veteran Harbhajan Singh brings to the fore the importance of having all-rounders in the squad, especially in a high-pressure tournament like the World Cup. While Kuldeep's recent form has been impeccable, Ashwin's experience and prowess in both bowling and batting might give him an edge in the selection. It remains to be seen how the Indian team management strategizes its playing XI, considering the rich pool of talent at its disposal.
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