Former Australian cricket staff opener Matthew Hayden referred to as Yuzvendra Chahal’s exclusion from India’s Asia Cup 2023 squad ‘massive’ and identified how robust it mush have been for the selectors contemplating that they had one other good possibility in Kuldeep Yadav. “There’re some big omissions. Chahal in particular, that leg-spinner is such a superb player and (it) must be tough for the selectors because they’ve also got another one in Kuldeep (Yadav)…. he’s a superb player. So, they’ve gone for that as an option,” Hayden mentioned. The explosive opener additionally backed younger gamers Shubman Gill and Tilak Varma to make the chance depend after they have been named in India’s squad for the Asia Cup.

After making a shocking 890 runs within the IPL 2023, Gill went by a lean patch through the tour to West Indies, hitting simply two fifties in 10 matches throughout three codecs.

However, Varma impressed all with wonderful outings within the T20I sequence within the Caribbean, culminating in his maiden call-up to the India ODI facet.

“(It) is this extreme talent, especially within the batting sense, that brings India to life. Gill hasn’t played a lot of one-day cricket for his country yet. Tilak Varma hasn’t played a game of one-day cricket for his country. But that doesn’t mean they’re not able to deliver.

“And this is what we’ve seen in the IPL. We’ve seen names which otherwise you’d have absolutely zero idea of, come to the IPL, not an international stage but certainly an international event, and set it alight. So, I feel very confident in the fact that Indian cricket is in good hands,” Hayden told media here on the sidelines of the CEAT Cricket Rating Award.

Hayden pointed out the strong character of India’s middle-order to underline his point.

“When you look at India’s middle-order, you look at Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma… those 3-4 players, and Rohit Sharma described it best. He said ‘you can look at anyone at those numbers but ultimately it’s not one of them that wins you the World Cup,” mentioned Hayden.

Talking additional about Varma’s inclusion, Hayden mentioned it could possibly be a transfer with different massive occasions in thoughts.

“In the lead as much as World Cups, you are all the time going to have some gamers and we have seen the category of Tilak Varma. I feel it is a good technique when it comes to not simply this World Cup however even probably stepping into the following World Cup (T20 World Cup 2024) as properly,” he mentioned.

Hayden mentioned the presence of Varma within the squad will put stress on Suryakumar Yadav, who has had a tough time auditioning for the No 4 place in ODIs.

“The great thing about Team India is that it has got a really solid 1-2-3 combination, similar to Australia. When you look at their last four or five months, they’ve had a really strong engine room,” he mentioned.

“They’ve got some good problems to solve through the middle-order. If they can fill spots with talented young players like Tilak Varma, it can put pressure on someone like Suryakumar Yadav — I think that’s a good strategy; keep everyone honest in the side and performing, so not a bad move,” Hayden defined.

Asked whether or not India head coach Rahul Dravid is conservative in his strategy, Hayden mentioned coaches don’t win tournaments, however gamers do. He cited ‘Bazball’ for instance.

“Like Rahul (Dravid) is vital in your Tilak Varmas, he’s, in all probability, vital in your Suryakumar Yadavs as properly. We’re gonna have one other nice title right here in Baz (Brendon) McCullum…the place it isn’t all the time the innovation that wins you World Cups or tournaments.

“I mean, as much as people were talking about Bazball, it was still in England, a drawn series (Ashes 2023),” Hayden said.

Hayden also brushed aside concerns about ODI forms of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

“Since his hundred against Australia in Ahmedabad, I’ve seen a different Virat Kohli. I haven’t seen a lot of his performances of late coming into the West Indies.

“But massive gamers need massive tournaments and each of these two names will probably be set for a giant World Cup. They’ll each play I feel in keeping with that. I would not be too fearful about it,” he mentioned.

(With PTI inputs)