Sourav Ganguly wants India to recall wrist-spinners in T20Is, throws his weight behind Rishabh Pant

The wrist-spin duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav, who were the cynosure of India’s bowling attack in last two years based on their wicket-taking abilities, has suspiciously gone missing in the shortest format of the game since the World Cup 2019. Chahal and Kuldeep first failed to make the cut for T20I series in West Indies and were recently also kept out of the three-match home series against South Africa which finished 1-1 with the first match getting washed out. [caption id=“attachment_4618771” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File photo Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal. Reuters[/caption] Left-arm spinners Krunal Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja and off-spinner Washington Sundar have taken up their spots in the squad and in the team. Ahead of the Proteas series, skipper Virat Kohli explained the duo’s absence as a decision to bolster India’s lower-order batting and try out upcoming players. “…I think it’s about finding the best balance that we can as a side and not necessarily stick to one kind of combination. If all teams across the world are batting till No. 9, 10 why can’t we?” said Kohli ahead of South Africa series. However, spinners failed to make a mark during the home series and take wickets during the middle overs, reigniting the debate over the absence of Chahal and Kuldeep. One of the former cricketers to speak in the favour of the wrist-spin duo is ex-captain Sourav Ganguly. In his column for Times of India, Ganguly urged the team management to bring back the wrist-spinners as they prepare for 2020 T20 World Cup. “This is a good team but Virat needs to bring back the wrist spinners into this format. I hope Yuzvendra Chahal has only been rested to give opportunity to others, or else he is a must for India in the T20 format. India doesn’t need two left-arm spinners,” Ganguly wrote. Another cricketer who has been a topic of discussion recently has been Rishabh Pant. The young wicketkeeper-batsman has come under severe criticism for his lack of form and poor shot selection. Speaking in support of the 21-year-old, Ganguly wrote that Pant is a “match-winner and long-term bet” for India. “His entry into international cricket has been brilliant and for me, he is India’s solution for all the formats. He is a match-winner and a long-term bet for India,” said Ganguly.