'This question should be addressed in the next press conference': Gavaskar stunned with India's huge playing XI decision
The former India captain was surprised at India's big playing XI decision in the first T20I against Australia.
After enduring a disappointing outing at the Asia Cup 2022, India were handed another reality check by Australia ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup, which gets underway in less than a month. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli failed to make an impact with the bat but a solid show by KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav helped the Men In Blue pile 208/6 in 20 overs after being invited to bat first by Aaron Finch in the series opener in Mohali on Tuesday evening.
While there were no complaints from the batters, it was the bowlers, who once again failed to defend a high-scoring total. Cameron Green led the run-chase, smashing a 30-ball 61, while Matthew Wade wrapped up the show with an unbeaten 21-ball 45 as Australia chased down the target with four balls to spare.
Green made his intentions clear right from the word go as he blasted Umesh Yadav for four 4s in his first over. Yadav, who came a surprise addition to the squad for the Australia series, bounced back in his second spell, dismissing Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell in the same over. However, Yadav was not used further in the contest and he ended the match with figures reading 2/27 from two overs.
With the World Cup approaching and Yadav not being a part of the plans, the management's reluctance to field Deepak Chahar's in the playing XI has come as a surprise for many. Chahar had traveled with the team to Asia Cup as a reserve member and got a chance against Afghanistan, which India won by 101 runs. The pacer will also be travel with the team to Australia for the T20 extravaganza.
When asked to former India batter Sunil Gavaskar about Yadav being preferred over Chahar, the legendary cricketer had one of the most epic response. Speaking with Sports Today, the former India opener expressed concern over the management's decision and urged reporters to ask the same in the next press conference.
"I think it's the best addressed to team management to what their thinking was to take someone like Umesh Yadav, who is not even in the reserves and not playing Deepak Chahar.
"Deepak Chahar is also coming out of an injury. But you need to have the leg mile under your belt before you go into a big tournament like the World Cup. If you go as Deepak Chahar a standby bowler and suddenly in Australia somebody gets injured, he is not going to do a proper job because he wouldn't get the rhythm.
“So that is a question best addressed at the next media conference to the team management as to why they picked Umesh Yadav and not Deepak Chahar. Unless Chahar had a niggle, which we don't know anything about,” said Gavaskar.
The team will next meet in Nagpur on Friday, where Australia will hope to take an unassailable lead in the series. India, on the other hand, would look to settle the score.
