Former India batter Wasim Jaffer has said that dropping spinner Yuzvendra Chahal would be a "huge call" as the ex-player believes "there should be a wrist spinner in the playing XI" and it would be unfair for Chahal to be dropped after one bad outing
India take on Sri Lanka in the second T20I in Pune on Thursday. In the T20 series opener against Sri Lanka at the Wankhede here on Tuesday, Chahal was India's most expensive bowler as he leaked 26 runs in the two overs and the Indian skipper Hardik Pandya didn't let the spinner complete his full quota of overs.
"Dropping Yuzvendra Chahal for Washington Sundar would be a huge call since I believe there should be a wrist spinner in the playing XI. Even though Sundar provides balance to the side because of his batting as well as his power-play bowling, I don't think that a bowler like Chahal, who has delivered time and again, will be dropped after one bad outing.
I think it is too early to consider making that change," Jaffer was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo. Talking about India's playing XI for the second T20I, scheduled on Thursday, Jaffer backed pacer Arshdeep Singh to replace Harshal Patel, He said: "If Arshdeep is available, then I think he will be back in the playing XI.
Maybe he will get a chance in place of Harshal Patel. The first T20I was not a good one for Harshal Patel. But apart from that, I do not see any other changes to the playing XI." Arshdeep didn't play the first T20I after he failed to recover from illness.
India beat Sri Lanka by two runs at the Wankhede Stadium here to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series and is eyeing to seal the series when they take the field on Thursday at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune.