IPL 2021: After Harbhajan, Virender Sehwag blasts Indian selectors for not picking Yuzvendra Chahal in India T20 WC team – Former opener Virender Sehwag is the latest to question the Indian selectors and was baffled after they opted against selecting Yuzvendra Chahal in India’s T20 World Cup squad. The selectors led by chairman Chetan Sharma opted for Rahul Chahar and Varun Chakravarthy in the squad over the RCB star, a decision that raise a few eyebrows. Chahal has hit back at his exclusion with some stellar bowling performances in the ongoing Phase of the IPL 2021, including a three-wicket haul against defending champions Mumbai Indians.
During a discussion with Cricbuzz after RCB’s victory on Sunday, Virender Sehwag expressed his surprise at the exclusion of Yuzvendra Chahal from India’s T20 WC squad. Sehwag said, “Chahal was bowling well in the past also. I can’t understand why he was omitted from the T20 World Cup squad. The selectors should provide an explanation. It’s not like Rahul Chahar bowled extraordinarily in Sri Lanka. The way Chahal is bowling, he will be an asset for any side in T20 cricket. He knows how to bowl in his format, how to take wickets. The game was set up by (Glenn) Maxwell and (Yuzvendra) Chahal. They took wickets in the middle orders which led to a turnaround.”
Virender Sehwag’s criticism comes after Harbhajan Singh also hit out at the Indian selectors after RCB’s game against Mumbai in the ongoing IPL 2021. In a jibe, Harbhajan tweeted, “Did Chahal bowl fast or slow today guys ??? 4–0-11-3 what a spell champion”. Delhi Capitals promoter Parth Jindal, whose franchise has Ravi Ashwin among their ranks, labelled Chahal as India’s best T20 spinner, and also questioned the selectors on his absence from the squad.
Did chahal bowl fast or slow today guys ??? 4–0-11-3 what a spell champion @yuzi_chahal @RCBTweets @IPL
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) September 26, 2021
Chahal’s performances come in at a time when BCCI and the selectors are concerned about the form of Mumbai Indians stars in the squad. Rahul Chahar starred in Phase 1, but has faded away since IPL resumed earlier this month, picking up just a solitary wicket in three games so far. However, as per information available to Insidesport.co, Chahal is yet not being discussed as a replacement into the T20 WC squad, but the situation could change once the IPL 2021 draws to a close.
A BCCI official told InsideSport, “Selectors have given us a team and that is very good on paper. Players go through such phases. Virat wasn’t getting runs but he has scored two back-to-back 50s. So, we will see how to go about it after IPL. Selectors will take a call accordingly. There are three players on standby and the team management will take a call accordingly. I don’t want to say much about the selection process.”