R Ashwin or Yuzvendra Chahal: Here is how Team India picks the spinners during T20 World Cup 2022

After
all
Chahal
had
taken
22
wickets
in
2022
from
19
T20Is,
and
that
is
a
fine
report
card
even
considering
the
fact
that
the
leg-spinner
has
gone
for
over
8
runs
an
over.

Even
that
run-rate
has
a
slightly
inflated
look
around
it
because
Chahal
has
played
a
good
lot
of
his
matches
in
batsmen-friendly
India
and
in
smaller
grounds.

This
is
not
to
belittle
Ashwin’s
credentials
as
a
T20I
bowler
as
he
continues
to
be
exceptional
against
left-arm
batters.

The
veteran
off-spinner
has
also
added
a
bit
of
muscle
to
his
batting
too
of
late,
and
in
any
case
Ashwin
has
been
a
solid
batsman.

But
where
does
that
leave
Chahal,
who
was
not
long
was
viewed
as
India’s
primary
weapon
in
the
white
ball
formats
and
certainly
one
of
the
most
successful
bowlers
in
those
formats.

India
bowling
coach
Paras
Mhambrey
offered
a
hint
to
the
choice
pattern
of
India
team
management
when
it
comes
to
picking
up
Ashwin
or
Chahal.

“We
have
to
look
at
composition
wise
what
balance
does
he
(Ashwin)
offer.
He
also
gives
you
batting.
We
look
at
match
up
options
and
think
on
those
lines,”
said
Mhambrey.

Mhambrey
said
since
India
will
be
playing
the
second
games
of
the
day
in
next
matches,
the
pitches
in
those
games
can
have
some
wear
and
tear
although
turn
on
offer
will
not
be
that
considerable.

“When
and
where
we
have
an
opportunity
to
include
an
additional
spinner,
we
will
go
with
him
(Chahal),”
he
added.

It
is
clear
that
the
team
management
is
also
factoring
in
Ashwin’s
presence
as
a
batter
in
the
lower
middle
order
which
at
a
pressure
situation
can
add
another
dimension
to
India’s
batting
as
it
was
on
show
against
Pakistan.