"Keep An Eye On Him": Sourav Ganguly Identifies India's Leg Spinner For ODI World Cup
Sourav Ganguly emphasised the importance of having a quality leg spinner on home soil.
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has urged the management to keep an eye on veteran leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal for the ODI World Cup. Chahal was part of the squad for last year's T20 World Cup in Australia but didn't play a single game as India bowed out in the semi-final after losing to England. Ganguly feels while India have other good wrist spinners like Kuldeep Yadav and Ravi Bishnoi at their disposal, Chahal could be key to their chances.
"(Ravi) Bishnoi and Kuldeep (Yadav) are there but (Yuzvendra) Chahal somehow misses big tournaments. He performs extremely consistently in shorter formats, whether it is 20-over or 50-over. It is important to keep an eye on him as well," News 18 quoted Ganguly as saying on Star Sports.
Ganguly also highlighted that fact that SENA countries find it difficult to tackle wrist spinners, especially with the tournament set to be held on home soil.
"When you will play Australia, England or South Africa, a wrist-spinner makes a difference in these conditions. In 2011, there was Piyush Chawla, who bowled well."
To further back his claim, the former BCCI President also emphaised that India have always done well in tournament when the spinner have fired on all cylinders.
"When we went to South Africa in 2007, there also our wrist-spinners bowled well along with the fast bowlers. Harbhajan Singh was in that team. I feel it will be extremely important to keep a wrist-spinner in Indian conditions," he added.
India will begin their World Cup campaign against Australia in Chennai on October 8.
India Cricket Team
Yuzvendra Chahal