Team India faced another knockout-stage exit in the ICC tournament as they bowed out of the T20 World Cup 2022 with a 10-wicket thrashing against England in the semi-final.
After the embarrassing ouster, the Rohit Sharma-led side drew flak from the fans, media and experts alike. Many of them questioned the team management for not considering Yuzvendra Chahal in the playing XI despite the wrist-spinner winning the purple cap in IPL 2022.
Almost a month after the T20 World Cup 2022, Chahal opened up on his omission from India’s playing XI at the showpiece event.
“It's not an individual game. Every team has their own set of combination. And then I saw Ashwin and Akshar performing well...those things happen in life. I just knew that if get an opportunity I have to be ready and coach and Rohit bhai had clarified that to me,” Chahal said while speaking to India Today.
Yuzvendra Chahal was not picked in the Indian squad for the T20 World Cup 2021. While the leg-spinner was part of the 15-member squad in the last T20 World Cup down under, he didn’t get an opportunity in the playing XI.
However, the 32-year-old remained optimistic of being part of the 2023 ODI World Cup team.
“The 50-over World Cup is going to happen next. The last World Cup which I had played, in 2019, was also a 50-over World Cup. I don't tend to think about all these stuff that much. For me, what matters is playing for India, that is my first goal. Now whether I am picked in the XI or not that is not in my hand. I hope I can continue playing in the same manner, get to play for my country and hope India become the champions in 2023,” he added.
Following the T20 World Cup 2022, the Men in Blue travelled to New Zealand for three T20Is and ODIs each, where Chahal featured in five games, picking two wickets in the three innings that he bowled.
Yuzvendra Chahal is not part of the Indian squad for the ongoing ODI tour of Bangladesh.