Harbhajan Singh says it's time to look beyond R Ashwin in ODIs

Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has stated that Team India is missing the spark in the middle-overs in ODI cricket.

Harbhajan Singh wants 'Kul-Cha' back in the ODI team. (Image Source : Twitter)
By Shurti Banerjee | Jan 25, 2022 | 3 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has stated that Team India is missing the spark in the middle-overs in ODI cricket. He also added that the spinners are waiting for things to happen rather than taking the charge and making things work. Harbhajan, meanwhile, said that both R Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal can return to the squad as well.

Harbhajan Singh, while speaking to Sports Today on Tuesday, said that it’s time to get over from R Ashwin in ODI cricket and bring back the combination of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav. However, India recently faced a 0-3 series whitewash in the ODI series against South Africa.

R Ashwin, who was brought back to the ODI team after nearly 4 years, claimed only one wicket in 2 matches before he was dropped for the 3rd ODI. Yuzvendra Chahal has picked up only 2 wickets, struggling in the middle-overs too as well. Meanwhile, Head coach Rahul Dravid, when talking about the team’s performance after their series defeat, claimed that India’s inability to pick up wickets in the middle overs cost them the games.

READ MORE: ‘Disappointed we ended up on the losing side’ – KL Rahul

“I think these two guys (Ishant Sharma and Ashwin) have done really well for Team India, whether you talk about Test cricket or ODIs. With all due respect to R Ashwin, I think he is a champion bowler, but in ODI cricket, I feel, it’s time India start looking for an option, maybe someone who can take the ball in as well as out. Someone like Kuldeep Yadav could be a great option. Why don’t we go back to Kulcha combination and see what they can bring to the table? They won have games for India. It will be a good thing to go back to them,” Harbhajan Singh said.

“R Ashwin and Yuzi Chahal played in the South Africa series. They didn’t create too many opportunities with the ball, they were a bit defensive with their approach. There were times when they could have attacked the opposition by putting in another slip or another man catching in. And of course, wickets were very, very true. There is no doubt about it. But no matter how the wickets are, if you’re playing in the World Cup against any opposition, your job is to take wickets in the middle overs. It will come down to how you create opportunities as a bowler,” he further added.

“When Kulcha played together, they were brilliant for the team in the middle-overs” – Harbhajan Singh

“You need someone like Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal bowling in tandem. You can also bring in another X-factor, someone like Varun Chakravarthy, there is no harm trying him again. You played him in those 2-3 games in the World Cup and you decided okay, he is not good enough,” he again shared.

While talking about the need to claim wickets regularly in the middle-overs in ODI cricket, Harbhajan said: “We are missing that spark in the middle-overs where people are going for wickets rather than waiting for things to happen.”

“When Kulcha played together, they were brilliant for the team in the middle-overs. Whenever they played together, they picked wickets and won games for India. I don’t know why they fell apart, why they were not given the opportunities after the World Cup. Maybe it’s time to bring them back or maybe some other X-factor who can take wickets in the middle-overs rather than just doing the containing work. If you don’t take wickets in the middle-overs, I don’t think you are going to win many games. It’s also important to take wickets with the new ball which we were not capable of enough in the series in South Africa,” Harbhajan Singh concluded.

India will next play ODIs against the West Indies team from February 6 to 11 in Ahmedabad as well.





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