Suryakumar Yadav India's X-factor, feels Harbhajan Singh

PTI

New Delhi, September 7

The Indian duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Arshdeep Singh should have been picked in the 15-member squad for the upcoming ODI World Cup, said former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh today.

Chahal and Arshdeep were overlooked from the Indian squad, which was announced by the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee on Tuesday.

“I think there are two people missing in this team. First, Yuzvendra Chahal, and second, Arshdeep Singh. Because a left-arm seamer, if he can bring the new ball inside, it makes it useful in the game,” Harbhajan said during a virtual press conference. “If he can get two wickets early in the game, I’m not saying that right-handers can’t do that, but a left-hand seamer can get an actual angle to get the wicket.”

Backing Chahal’s inclusion, Harbhajan said: “Chahal is a proven match winner, someone who has taken more number of wickets than any other spinner, and if he was playing for any other country, I think he would have been in the playing XI all the time.”

Harbhajan also sees Suryakumar Yadav as the X-factor in the Indian team for the upcoming World Cup and said he is the most impactful middle-order batter in India right now.

Despite not able to recreate his T20 magic in the ODI format, Suryakumar, who is the world’s No. 1 T20I batter, managed to hold onto his spot in the 15-member squad for the World Cup that had led to a debate over the exclusion of Sanju Samson and rising all-rounder Tilak Varma. “Suryakumar is a complete package. At the number where he bats, I don’t think there is any other better player than him in India. What he can accomplish at No. 5 or 6, even Virat (Kohli), Rohit (Sharma), or Sanju (Samson) cannot replicate,” he said. — PTI

Akhtar says India are ‘unsettled’

New Delhi: Playing at home and with intense media scrutiny will put the Indian cricket team under a lot of pressure in the upcoming ODI World Cup, feels former Pakistan pace bowler Shoaib Akhtar. India’s performance in the ICC events has left much to be desired as they have yet to win a world title since the 2013 Champions Trophy triumph under Mahendra Singh Dhoni. “Pakistan’s going to be all lonely there (in India). Having said that, they will be under no pressure. Playing at home, in front of own crowd, all the pressure will be on India; we will do better,” Akhtar said. India will take on Pakistan in the most-anticipated World Cup clash in Ahmedabad on October 14. But before that, they will clash in the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup on Sunday, and may also face a possible title showdown on September 17. Akhtar said the Indian team is still “unsettled” with less than a month left for the World Cup, which begins on October 5. “Why do I have this feeling... why India could not pick their XI in last two years. It’s a very strange thing to me that your squad is not settled. Who is your No. 4, where will Virat (Kohli) play 3, 4 or 5? India is not being a settled squad for (the) last two years, this is a very strange thing for me. Who will occupy which slot?” he asked.

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