‘They were very aware’ – Dinesh Karthik reveals why Yuzvendra Chahal and Harshal Patel did not get a game in 20-20 World Cup

One of the major concerns raised by veterans and experts following India’s disappointing 20-20 World Cup semi-final exit was the absence of Yuzvendra Chahal from the team’s playing XI. In contrast to the 2021 edition, India had selected him for the squad, but he did not make the XI this time.

Along with Harshal Patel, he was one of only two Indian players who did not see action. Captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid were heavily slammed for not including Chahal in the playing XI, and teammate Dinesh Karthik explained why.

13 of India’s 15-man squad had played at least one match for India in the 2020 World Cup, but Chahal was not selected. Despite veterans and experts arguing his case ahead of each match, the management chose Ashwin as their lead spinner due to his batting abilities, with Axar Patel as the backup.

They didn’t sulk once: Dinesh Karthik

While Rohit and Dravid were criticised for selecting Ashwin over Chahal, Karthik revealed in an interview with Cricbuzz that both the leggie and Harshal were told at the start of the tournament that they would only make the XI if conditions favoured their presence, or else they would have to sit out the entire tournament.

“They didn’t sulk once or get upset once because they were very sure. At the start of the tournament they were said that under these conditions we would be playing you otherwise it might be hard. So they were very aware and were preparing in such a way that when get an opportunity they will try and do their best but there might be a chance that they end up not playing. 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 think 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 said.