'India need spinner who can get wickets of batters while they are pushing' - Manjrekar on why Kuldeep should play ahead of Chahal in WC

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar believes Kuldeep Yadav should feature in the much-awaited ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, which will be held in India in October-November. The marquee event will begin on October 5 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad with defending champions England squaring off against the previous two editions' finalists New Zealand.

As per the World Cup 2023 schedule, Team India will kick off their campaign against Australia on October 8 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. However, the talks about Team India’s selection for the 50-over World Cup have already begun.

Manjrekar feels Kuldeep would be selected ahead of Yuzvendra Chahal in the playing eleven for the competition. While explaining his views on the same, the cricketer-turned-commentator stated that if the opponent’s weakness is in playing wrist spin, India should have both Kuldeep and Chahal in the XI. The 57-year-old added that he prefers Kuldeep because India requires a spinner who can take wickets while batters are pushing rather than hitting big shots.

"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. 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," Manjrekar told ESPNcricinfo.

The former cricketer went on to say that in T20 cricket, the batters give wicket-taking opportunities to the bowlers by keeping on hitting the big shots but it is not the same in the ODIs. Kuldeep is one spinner who is capable of getting such wickets for India, according to the 57-year-old. 

"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," he added.

Manjrekar backs Chahal to feature in India's World Cup squad

Manjrekar later backed Yuzvendra Chahal to make it to Team India's World Cup roster, stressing on team's death over vulnerability. He also stated that the prospects of fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah's availability are slim as he has been out of action since September 2022 due to an injury.

"What India needs even more in this World Cup are spinners who will get you wickets in the middle to just make the lives of India's death bowlers easy. Bumrah playing is a slim chance and India have a problem with death bowling and that's why I would have Chahal in the squad,"  the former cricketer concluded.