(Image Source: Instagram)
[Saba Sports News] Despite his successes in domestic cricket and the Indian Premier League, Yuzvendra Chahal was notably absent from India’s national squad for a considerable period.
He was a key player in the team alongside Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja leading up to the ODI World Cup 2023. However, closer to the tournament, Axar Patel was preferred, and later Ravichandran Ashwin entered the fray, sidelining Chahal and sparking widespread discussion.
Chahal also missed out on the T20I series against Australia, which was surprising given the rest given to senior spinners. His expected return did not materialize, raising questions. However, after nearly 11 months, the 33-year-old has finally made his ODI comeback against South Africa. He expressed his eagerness to play for India again on Instagram with a post captioned ‘Here we go again’, which quickly gained traction on social media.
Chahal’s return is crucial as it suggests he is still in contention for the T20 World Cup in 2024. While he hasn’t yet rejoined the T20I squad, a strong performance in South Africa could pave his way back.
Currently, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, and Kuldeep Yadav are ahead of him in the T20I setup, but his future prospects could change, especially with the bilateral series and the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Chahal, yet to play in any T20 World Cup, faces a pivotal period in his career. As for ODI cricket, he is set to team up again with Kuldeep Yadav.