Dinesh Karthik explains why Yuzvendra Chahal and Harshal Patel didn’t play for India in T20 World Cup

India’s veteran wicket-keeper batter Dinesh Karthik has revealed why Yuzvendra Chahal and Harshal Patel didn’t play for India in the T20 World Cup. Both Chahal and Patel regularly featured in India’s final XI in the bilateral series before the T20I showpiece but they were benched by Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid for the big event.

Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel were backed ahead of Chahal while Mohammed Shami played ahead of Harshal Patel in the World Cup.

India might not have missed the services of Harshal Patel but certainly missed a trick by not playing Yuzvendra Chahal, who is known to pick wickets in the middle overs whereas Ashwin and Axar are more known to be economical spinners.

In fact, leg-spinners like Adil Rashid, Shadab Khan, and Ish Sodhi savored success for their respective teams and thus it was surprising to note Chahal’s exclusion from the starting XI.

However, Karthik revealed that both Chahal and Harshal Patel were told they will be given their chance in specific conditions and they were well-communicated by the team that they might not play at all in the marquee event.

“They didn’t sulk or get upset once because they were very sure. At the start of the tournament, they were told that under these conditions, we would be playing you; otherwise, it might be difficult. So, they were very aware and were preparing in such a way that when they get an opportunity, they would try and do their best, but there might be a chance that they ended up not playing,” said Karthik while talking on Cricbuzz.

“So, when that clarity is there from the coach and captain, it makes the job easier for the player because you just start looking inward and thinking, okay what do I do to start preparing better. That is what they were doing, and had they been given a chance, they would have given their best. This is a very high-intensity tournament. As mentioned, he played a lot of matches for India, and he knows the feeling of being dropped,” he added.

India was knocked out of the T20 World Cup after they were thrashed by England in the semifinal clash. The Men in Blue is currently taking on New Zealand in three-match T20I series.