Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
When the news broke that Bhuvneshwar Kumar was returning to the Indian team after four years, his former teammate Yuzvendra Chahal was also in Lucknow. But while Bhuvneshwar was making headlines for his comeback, Chahal was nowhere near the dressing room. He was out in the middle, microphone in hand, discussing the game as a pundit rather than preparing to bowl for India.
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For a leg-spinner once synonymous with India’s white-ball attack, it is a curious second innings. These days, Chahal remains connected to Indian cricket through his voice rather than the googlies and top-spinners that once left batters searching for answers.
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That was the scene in Ranchi, too. Before the second T20I, Chahal interviewed his former partner in the famous ‘Kul-Cha’ combination, Kuldeep Yadav. The subject? Kuldeep’s achievement of going past Chahal’s T20I wicket tally.
Kuldeep’s response brought back memories of a time when the two wrist-spinners operated in tandem, tying batters in knots and making life miserable for opposition teams. He admitted he was not entirely pleased with the milestone, not because of the achievement itself, but because he wished Chahal were still alongside him in the Indian team.
“I’m not particularly happy about it. I would have preferred it if we were playing together, because we could have broken many more records together. But it also feels good to watch you from the other end now. Whenever you’re around, there’s always a great atmosphere while playing, and I also get to learn a lot about bowling from you. I’ll always be grateful for that,” said Kuldeep.
It was a heartfelt tribute to a former partner. But after India’s struggles in the second T20I in Ranchi, it also left fans asking an uncomfortable question: why is Chahal watching from the commentary box when India are searching for answers with the ball?
India’s bowlers had a difficult night on a surface that offered little respite. The dew made gripping the ball a challenge, while the West Indies’ power-packed batting line-up made the most of the conditions. The spinners, in particular, had a night to forget.
India turned to three spin options in Kuldeep, Axar Patel and Naman Dhir. Between them, they bowled just 9.3 overs but conceded a staggering 141 runs. It was the kind of outing that inevitably reignited the debate over India’s options in the middle overs.
There is, of course, no guarantee that Chahal would have fared any better on Ranchi’s flat deck. Even the most accomplished wrist-spinner can struggle when the ball is wet and the batters are in full flow. But with India searching for ways to tighten their middle-over bowling, his absence is becoming harder for fans to ignore.
THE BISHNOI EXPERIMENT FALTERING?
Ravi Bishnoi was once viewed as the natural successor to Chahal in India’s T20I setup. Chahal last represented India in 2023, while Bishnoi had made his international debut a year earlier, positioning himself as a long-term option in the leg-spin department.
Since his debut, Bishnoi has claimed 71 wickets in 54 matches at an average of 21.02. Those numbers underline his ability to make an impact, but his place in the side has not been constant.
After spending close to a year out of the team, Bishnoi returned earlier this year as India prepared to defend their T20 World Cup title. However, he largely found himself playing a supporting role to Varun Chakravarthy, whose mystery spin offered India a different weapon.
Bishnoi’s recent outings have done little to strengthen his case. He played only once during India’s tour of England, conceding 60 runs in that appearance. At the Asian Games in Japan, he failed to take a wicket and was taken for 44 runs in three overs during the gold medal match against Pakistan.
Those performances do not erase Bishnoi’s earlier achievements, but they do raise questions about India’s options if they want another specialist leg-spinner in the mix. Could Chahal, with his experience and proven record, offer a different solution?
His numbers certainly make a compelling case for consideration.
CHAHAL: THE SECOND-INNINGS SPECIALIST
Chahal has taken 96 wickets in 80 T20Is, but his overall tally only tells part of the story. A closer look at his record while defending targets reveals why he could still be a valuable option for India.
The leg-spinner has claimed 65 wickets in 48 matches when India have bowled first and defended a total, averaging 22.46. That ability to take wickets while protecting a target is particularly relevant at a time when India’s bowling attack is under scrutiny.
The conditions in Ranchi also brought the dew factor into sharp focus. In a night-game environment, where gripping the ball can become a major challenge for spinners, Chahal’s experience could be worth revisiting. He has taken 73 wickets in 62 T20 matches played at night, at an average of 25.84.
His record in matches India have won while defending a total is even more striking. Chahal has picked up 46 wickets in 27 such matches at an average of just 15.58.
Statistics alone cannot guarantee a successful comeback, and past performances do not automatically translate into future results. But these numbers make a strong case for keeping Chahal in the conversation, particularly when India are looking for wicket-taking options in the middle overs.
The leg-spinner has already made one thing clear: he has no intention of walking away from international white-ball cricket just yet. Having called time on his first-class career, Chahal has shifted his focus towards the limited-overs formats and the possibility of earning another India call-up.
His message while bidding farewell to red-ball cricket left little room for doubt.
“But I AM NOT DONE YET.”
“The hunger to play for my country is still very much alive. I believe I have the cricket left in me, and I will give everything I have to earn another opportunity in the One-Day and T20 formats,” said Chahal.
Those words take on added significance in the wake of Bhuvneshwar’s return. The experienced seamer has earned his way back into the Indian setup, offering a reminder that an international career does not necessarily end when a player falls out of favour.
Chahal’s path back will be different. He will need to keep performing, stay in contention and convince the selectors that he can still deliver at the highest level. Bhuvneshwar’s comeback does not guarantee Chahal one of his own, but it does offer a timely reminder that experience can still count.
For now, Chahal remains in the commentary box, analysing the very game he once helped India control with his wrist-spin. With the team struggling to defend totals and fans calling for his return, the question is becoming increasingly difficult to avoid: could India’s next bowling solution be a familiar face already watching from the sidelines?
India may not need to look far for another option. Chahal is still around, still hungry and, by his own admission, not done yet. Perhaps it is time to consider whether he can offer more with the ball than he currently does behind the microphone.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
