“Yuzvendra Chahal Has To Be Number One Spinner”- Aakash Chopra On R Ashwin’s ODI Comeback

Since Ravichandran Ashwin has made a comeback in India’s T20I side he has kept Yuzvendra Chahal out of the playing XI. The leg spinner was not included in the T20 World Cup squad and also in the first two T20I’s against New Zealand. Ashwin, on the other hand, gave impressive performances in the first two games before he was rested in the Kolkata T20I in place of Chahal.

Speaking about Ravichandran Ashwin’s chances of ODI comeback. former Indian batsman Aakash Chopra said that Yuzvendra Chahal should be India’s number one spinner. The Indian side plays their next ODI series in South Africa where Chopra thinks, Chahal should be back in the XI.

“According to me, the No. 1 spinner has to be Yuzvendra Chahal (in ODIs). Ravindra Jadeja has to play because India do not have all-rounders. I don’t see three spinners playing in South Africa, so it could be Chahal and Jadeja. Ashwin might actually be in the side. Axar Patel, Chahar and Chakravarthy could also be among the contenders.”

Along with Ashwin, Chahal and Jadeja, Rahul Chahar and Varun Chakravarthy are the two spinners that are within the team’s considerations at the moment.

Aakash Chopra Favours Yuzvendra Chchal Over R Ashwin In ODIs

Further elaborating on the Ashwin-Chahal debate, Chopra said that India shifted focus from the off-spinner to the leggie in white-ball formats because they were looking to take wickets more than containing.

“If we do not pick up wickets with the new ball, it is very important to take wickets in the middle overs. That is why we shifted our focus towards wrist spin. So if finger spinners can take wickets when batters are not going after them, they India can go for it. Ashwin has always been a quality bowler. The quality hasn’t gone anywhere, only our thinking had changed.”

Ashwin last played an ODI in 2017 against West Indies in the Caribbean. Chahal, meanwhile, played more recently against Sri Lanka earlier this year in July.

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