Cricket World Cup 2023: Yuvraj Singh believes Chahal would have been better choice but says Indian team balance 'good'

The Indian selectors led by Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar did not include Yuzvendra Chahal in the Indian squad for the World Cup, which begins at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Instead, the selectors opted for Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel in the original squad. However late Thursday night, the final day of confirming the squads, India replaced an injured Axar Patel with seasoned Ravichandran Ashwin, who plays for Tamil Nadu in the domestic circuit.

Hyderabad: Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh feels that Yuzvendra Chahal would have been a better choice but at the same time stressed that the balance of the Rohit Sharma-led team was good for the upcoming Cricket World Cup, which begins on October 5.

"The balance of our team is good. I felt that Yuzvendra Chahal should have been there because we are playing in India and often there is spin (on the pitches here). Otherwise, I think it is a good balance," Yuvraj, a member of the 2011 World Cup winning team, was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

"It was a little surprising, as I said that Yuzvendra Chahal would have been a better choice as a leg spinner is someone who can make you win matches. I thought Washington Sundar was a young guy and could also bat. But at the end of the day, the captain (Rohit Sharma) and coach (Rahul Dravid) have to see the best form," added Yuvraj Singh, who had hammered England pacer Stuart Broad for six sixes in an over during the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007 in South Africa. India had won the first T20 World of which the flamboyant south-paw was a part.

The Indian selectors led by Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar did not include Yuzvendra Chahal in the Indian squad for the World Cup, which begins at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Instead, the selectors opted for Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel in the original squad. However late Thursday night, the final day of confirming the squads, India replaced an injured Axar Patel with seasoned Ravichandran Ashwin, who plays for Tamil Nadu in the domestic circuit.

India starts their World Cup campaign against multi-time world champions Australia at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.