Maninder Singh, a former India spinner, spoke with NDTV about the impending series between India and Zimbabwe, including Virat Kohli’s decision to sit out the first three ODIs and Deepak Chahar’s subsequent recall to the team.
Starting on August 18 in Harare, Team India led by KL Rahul will take on Zimbabwe in the first of a three-game ODI series. All of the regular starters, including Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, and Yuzvendra Chahal, were given the week off before the series against Zimbabwe. It would be intriguing to see how Deepak Chahar, who has been injured for the majority of the cricket season, fares in the forthcoming series.
Maninder Singh, a former India spinner, recently spoke with NDTV about the upcoming series. He discussed the decision to bench Virat Kohli for the first three ODIs and welcomed back Deepak Chahar.
“Yes, he (Deepak Chahar) has been out for quite some time due to injuries. Attempting a comeback to international cricket after an extended absence due to injury is no easy feat. Initially, he will require special care, but I have no doubt that the team’s leadership will know how and when to best put him to use. Although he is a gifted youngster, he faces an uphill battle in making a full recovery from his lengthy ailment “Maninder revealed to NDTV.
The former left-arm spinner, when asked about Virat Kohli’s series rest: “Maybe the selectors spoke with Virat Kohli about it. He is a superb player, truly one of the best. He would have alerted the pickers if he needed additional time off. During the IPL, I heard that he was spending hours at-bat in the nets, but unfortunately, mistakes tend to pile up when you’re out of form and trying too hard. The greats of cricket have suggested that he needs a break, and I believe Virat Kohli has now come to terms with the fact that he needs to take a break from the sport for three to four months in order to return to it refreshed.”
“There is no doubt that Virat Kohli is psychologically very strong, physically very fit, and a major factor in India’s rise to prominence in international cricket. It’s just one inning, and we should listen to the selectors if he says he needs time off “He went on to say.
According to Maninder, Zimbabwe will be feeling confident going into the series given their recent success against Bangladesh in both the one-day international and twenty-over formats.
“Still, I believe the Indian squad is superior to Zimbabwe’s on paper. Zimbabwe must be feeling pretty good about themselves after that win over Bangladesh. There’s no denying that the Zimbabwe team’s mentality has shifted, and they’ll be a formidable opponent for India “said Maninder concerning the series airing on Sony Sports Network.
