T20 World Cup 2024: Will Yuzvendra Chahal Feature in Knockout Matches? Bowling Coach Hints at Team India Plans

sanjeev

khelja|24-06-2024

Yuzvendra Chahal earned a call up to Team India's T20 World Cup 2024 squad following a decent Indian Premier League (IPL) season with Rajasthan Royals.
But the leg-spinner has so far warmed the bench in the group stage and Super Eights. Many eyebrows were raised when India picked four spinners in their 15-member squad for the show-piece tournament in USA and the Caribbean. Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav were the other three spinners picked in the squad along with Chahal. With conditions favouring the pace bowlers in the initial part of the World Cup in USA, India played just the two spinners with Jadeja and Axar being preferred due to their ability with the bat. Once the Indian action shifted to the Caribbean, where spin played a role, Rohit Sharma's side picked Kuldeep in the two Super 8 matches and the left-arm wrist-spinner delivered with 5 wickets. India could be tempted to use all their 4 spinners in the upcoming games against Australia, and potentially England or South Africa.
However, the bowling coach Paras Mhambrey said that seems very unlikely, but didn't rule out the spin-heavy attack. "It all depends on what surface - I hope the surface won't be that spinner friendly I think going in yes three spinners, I think just add the balance but I'm not very sure all the other venues - in case, I'm saying I don't look like the surface is going to be that dry and going to turn so much," Mhambrey said at the India vs Australia pre-match press conference. "But yeah if the surface is like that, there's a lot of wear and tear in the wicket yeah for a spinner if you think that's the best option you want to go and enter the game, you might as well go with it." Will Yuzvendra Chahal feature in the knockout matches for India? As the bowling coach hinted, there is a chance Chahal could feature if the pitch has a lot of wear and tear.
With the wickets unlikely to be that dry, Chahal may continue spending time on the bench and could only feature if there is an injury to one of the spinners. Also, with Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh doing a great job with the ball in all phases, India is unlikely to make any changes to their bowling unit of three spinners and three pace options, including all-round Hardik Pandya.
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