‘Kuldeep a little bit ahead of Chahal’ – Ajit Agarkar on World Cup 2023 chances

In a significant development, BCCI's chief selector, Ajit Agarkar, has acknowledged the intricate challenge of accommodating both wrist-spinners, Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav, within India's 15-member World Cup squad.

This revelation follows the selection of Kuldeep over Chahal in India's Asia Cup 2023 squad, with Agarkar conceding that the left-arm spinner is currently holding a slight edge.

The highly anticipated announcement of Team India's roster for the Asia Cup 2023 unfolded during a press conference on Monday. Among the 17-member squad, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel secured their positions, leaving Chahal on the outside looking in.

The omission of Chahal carries immense weight, as Agarkar openly acknowledged that the World Cup squad would closely resemble the composition of the Asia Cup squad. During the press conference, Agarkar elucidated on Chahal's exclusion, stating, “He's been a terrific performer for India, but, sometimes, it's just the balance of the team or the combination. You are looking at guys. Axar Patel's done really well.”

World Cup 2023
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Agarkar went on to underline the versatility offered by Axar Patel, who not only excels in the bowling department but can also contribute with the bat. Meanwhile, Kuldeep Yadav's exceptional recent form further complicates the decision-making process. 

Agarkar acknowledges that fitting two wrist-spinners in India's World Cup 2023 Squad will be difficult 

“Kuldeep's obviously had a fantastic run. To fit two wrist-spinners might be difficult. Unfortunately, one has to miss out. I think, at this point, Kuldeep's a little bit ahead. He gives us a different kind of option. Unfortunately, he (Chahal) has to miss out,” Agarkar conceded.

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Chahal's recent performance in the T20I series against West Indies left much to be desired, as India suffered a 3-2 defeat. Despite featuring in all five matches, Chahal managed to secure only five wickets, averaging 32.60 with an economy rate of 9.05. These subpar statistics likely influenced the selection committee's decision in favor of Kuldeep Yadav for the upcoming tournaments.

As the cricketing world eagerly awaits the World Cup, the question of whether both Chahal and Kuldeep can coexist within the same squad remains a topic of intense discussion. With the selection committee's decision now cast in stone, the focus shifts to how Team India will navigate the challenges of international cricket without one of its celebrated wrist-spinners.

Prasenjit DeyPrasenjit Dey

Prasenjit Dey is an independent cricket journalist with Bylines across reputed publications like Cricbuzz, The Hindu, The Cricketer, Fancode, and The Quint Among Others. He has an experience of eight years in the field and is a valuable addition to the Cricnerds team. You can follow him on Twitter @CricPrasen.

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