Yuzvendra Chahal | Source: X.com
The IPL’s who’s who of bowling has got some legends in the list, but amongst the ranks of yorker specialists and pace mavericks, two spinners stand out for a glaring omission – their absence from the biggest stage in cricket: the World Cup. Yuzvendra Chahal, fresh off his record-breaking 200th IPL wicket, and Amit Mishra, a wily veteran, are yet to represent India in a World Cup squad.
Unfulfilled Dreams on the World Stage
Yuzvendra Chahal | Source: Twitter
Yuzvendra Chahal’s case is particularly perplexing. Here’s the wrist-spinner who has hoodwinked batters in the IPL aka the T20 cricket league that is akin to a final exam for the cricketers worldwide. Apart from being one of the most consistent bowlers in the cash-rich league since he joined, he has also been seen to be an outstanding bowler for all the teams he has represented so far in the domain.
For long, he was the masochist of Royal Challengers Bengaluru and the team which is famous for its batting strengths. However, Chahal made the match conditions his ally at the leg-friendly Chinnaswamy Stadium, an evidence to his peerless ability to bend any bowling equation.
It’s a missed opportunity of grand proportions that a player of Chahal’s calibre hasn’t donned the Indian whites in a World Cup match. While Chahal was included in the T20 World Cup 2022 squad, he remained on the bench throughout the tournament.
Will Yuzvendra Chahal Make the Cut for T20 World Cup 2024?
With the next World Cup just around the corner, the selectors have a big decision to make. Can they afford to overlook a proven match-winner like Yuzvendra Chahal any longer?
Team India needs a potent spin attack, and Chahal, with his guile and experience, could be the missing piece in their World Cup puzzle. Ignoring his talent would be a gamble India might not be able to afford.
