'Virat Kohli Always Struggles Against Wrist Spinners': Kaneria Explains Importance Of Leg Spinners

India has picked the finger spinners like Ashwin, Washington Sundar, Akshar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja, but ignored wrist spinners like Chahal, Kuldeep, and Rahu Chahar.

(File Photo/ Getty Images) | 2010

Karachi: Ex-Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria thinks that India should have picked a leg-spinner for the World Test Championship (WTC) Final. He thinks Rahul Chahar could have been a good pick. While explaining the importance of leg spinners, Danish Kaneria also cited that Vira Kohli, too, struggles against wrist spinners.

"Rahul Chahar, his height, the way he delivers the ball, he should have been in the team. New Zealand has Ish Sodhi, a tall leg spinner and Virat Kohli always struggles against a leg spinner as we saw with (Adam) Zampa, "Kaneria told PTI from Karachi.

"India has selected quite a strong team. Overall, their squad is good. But the thing to note is that they have not selected a wrist spinner," said the leggie.

"They have finger spinners, Ashwin, Washington Sundar, Akshar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja, but they don't have a wrist spinner, a right-arm leg spinner. When you play in England, and I have a lot of experience playing their -- eight years of county cricket in different conditions, there is moisture.
When the season starts the county matches are going on and after that the sun comes out and the wicket gets baked and the moisture stays. Finger spinners can contain but having a finger spinner and a wrist spinner can make an impact on the team," said Kaneria. 

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India has picked the finger spinners like Ashwin, Washington Sundar, Akshar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja, but ignored wrist spinners like Chahal, Kuldeep, and Rahu Chahar.  "I feel if there is a place open for a leg spinner than Chahar, who has played for Mumbai Indians and India and has performed well, has googly, flipper and leg-spin, could have been useful," he added.

 

India squad for WTC Final: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane (vc), Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), R. Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohd. Shami, Md. Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav, KL Rahul (subject to fitness clearance), Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper; subject to fitness clearance).