Irfan Pathan has advocated for leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal’s selection in India’s squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup in June, arguing that the team is less likely to win the ICC’s premier tournament without Chahal.

Yuzvendra Chahal is India’s leading T20I wicket-taker. He last played in August against the West Indies. The 33-year-old leg-spinner has taken 96 wickets in 80 matches at an impressive average of 25.09 and an economy rate of 8.19. His best bowling figures are 6/25.

During a Star Sports Press Room appearance, Irfan Pathan remarked that not selecting Yuzvendra Chahal for the semifinal proved detrimental to the team’s performance in the previous T20 World Cup.

“During the last World Cup in Australia, I repeatedly recommended including Chahal in the playing XI for the semifinals while commentators from around the world were present,” Pathan said.

India suffered a disappointing loss against England in the high-stakes semifinal match at Adelaide Oval. Despite setting a decent target of 168 runs, India’s bowlers struggled to take wickets. England’s batters quickly chased down the total without losing a single wicket, clinching victory in just 16 overs. The lopsided result ended India’s run in the tournament, dashing their hopes of reaching the final.

Irfan Pathan predicted Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja would be the first spinners on India’s World Cup squad, potentially leading to Yuzvendra Chahal’s omission. Pathan cautioned against repeating past errors and urged selectors to prioritize balance within the team.

“For the upcoming World Cup, I believe Team India needs a strong and balanced bowling unit. A wrist spinner is essential in the starting eleven when playing in a major tournament like this. Kuldeep Yadav is currently in excellent form and should be strongly considered. Jadeja will likely be the second spinner on the side as a left-arm spinning allrounder,” continued the former India allrounder.

“Despite his talents, Chahal may unfortunately miss out on selection again. The team will need to decide between taking two or three fast bowlers alongside the spinners. However, leaving out a skilled wrist spinner like Chahal could lead to similar disappointing results as previous World Cups. A balanced bowling attack with quality spinners will be key to India’s chances.” stated Pathan.

The veteran spinner Chahal is having an excellent IPL 2024 campaign so far. Representing Rajasthan Royals, he has emerged as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 12 scalps in 7 matches. His impressive average of 18.08 and economy rate of 8.35 highlight his dominance, with his best figures being 3/11.

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