NEW DELHI: With an aim to prepare him for the Test format, leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal was on Monday named in the India A team for the two four-day matches against South Africa A, starting August 4.
The selection committee meeting was held in Kolkata. Chahal, who has been an automatic choice in the limited overs format has not played any first-class cricket since December 2016 (against Haryana in Ranji Trophy), but the Indian team management and especially skipper Virat Kohli has indicated that he wants the wiry leg-spinner for five-day matches also.
The first of the two games will be played in Belgaum (August 4-7) followed by the second in Bengaluru (August 10-13). It is widely believed that Chahal is being kept match-ready as the selectors have named senior squad for only three Test matches. “The current team management want wrist spinners in their squad. Kuldeep-Chahal combination has worked pretty well.
However, Chahal has not played too many first-class matches. “This is an ideal opportunity to test him. Even if he is not picked for last two Tests against England, selectors might try him against West Indies at home,” a source close to the selection committee told PTI. There is a school of thought that Ravindra Jadeja will be slowly eased out of the longer version if Chahal is able to show his skills in the four-day games.
The four-day team will be led by Shreyas Iyer with most of the players, who were in England for the first-class matches, being picked. (PTI)
