While the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 is nearly three months away, the fans and experts have already started picking different teams’ playing XI for the showpiece tournament, slated to be held in India from October 5 to November 19.
Former cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar has also joined the bandwagon with his inputs for Team India in the bowling department in the lead up to the quadrennial event.
Both Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav have been selected for the upcoming ODI series against West Indies. However, Manjrekar would personally prefer Kuldeep over Chahal as he feels it is highly unlikely that the hosts will go with two wrist spinners in their playing XI at the 50-over World Cup.
"I don't think so. Very rarely it can happen depending on the opposition. If there is a real weakness in the opposition to play wrist-spin, then you have Kuldeep Yadav and Chahal both playing in the XI," Manjrekar said on ESPNcricinfo when asked if India could play both Chahal and Kuldeep in the team.
Manjrekar then batted for Kuldeep’s inclusion, citing that the latter has the ability to take the wickets when the batters are not playing big shots.
"I see Chahal being part of the squad but I prefer Kuldeep Yadav when it comes to wrist-spin as the spinner in 50-over cricket. I am getting a little technical here. You need a spinner who can get wickets of batters while they are pushing, not hitting the big shots," he explained.
"In T20 cricket, that is something you see very often. That's how spinners get wickets. In 50-overs cricket, it's a game where you push more than you actually slog. So a spinner capable of getting those wickets is Kuldeep Yadav. So he is sort of my first-choice wrist-spinner in the playing XI and then I will be looking at other options," Manjrekar further remarked.
India will play three ODIs on the tour of West Indies later this month. Before the World Cup, the Men in Blue will also feature in the 50-over Asia Cup, slated to be held in Pakistan and Sri Lanka from August 31 to September 17.
The Rohit Sharma-led side will open its 2023 ODI World Cup campaign against Australia on October 8 in Chennai.
