Harbhajan Singh weighs in on India's World Cup squad, feels these TWO players are missing from final 15

Despite knowing that Indian batters have been left wanting against left-arm seam bowling early on, and what this genre of pace bowling is capable of doing, the selectors opted to leave out a left-arm bowlerin the provisional 15 squad. Besides, the absence of a leg-spinner and a frontline offie further makes it difficult for the hosts to find the right balance in the bowling order. Veteran Harbhajan Singh feels by not ticking these two boxes, India might have missed a trick.

While Harbhajan backs Suryakumar Yadav to make his way into the final XI for the CWC, the 2011 World Cup winner feels overlooking Arshdeep Singh and Yuzvendra Chahal might prove costly down the line.

"I think there are two people missing from the team. One is Yuzvendra Chahal, and the second is Arshdeep Singh. Because I think if a left-arm seamer can bring the new ball in [to the right-hander] at the start, it makes a huge difference in the game. Because if he can get two early wickets… It's not like a right-hander can't do that, but left-arm seamers get a natural angle," Harbhajan said during a chat organised by Star Sports.

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Citing examples of how top-of-the-line left-arm quicks in Shaheen Shah Afridi (Pakistan) and Mitchell Starc (Australia) make an impact during crucial games, Harbhajan feels India should have picked young Arshdeep Singh as his inswingers would have been beneficial.

"You would have seen players like Shaheen Shah Afridi or Mitchell Starc, they have a huge impact. When Australia won the World Cup [in 2015], Mitchell Starc had a huge impact, dismissing Brendon McCullum first [third] ball. So incoming ball at that speed coming into a right-hander is always a challenge," Harbhajan added.

While India picked three top-class seamers in Mohammed Siraj, Shami and leader of the pack Jasprit Bumrah, they named three spinners, two alike - Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel, alongside Kuldeep Yadav in the final 15 for the CWC.

The host nation didn't pick Chahal, who has been around in the white-ball circuit ever since his debut. Harbhajan said Chahal is a proven match-winner and that had he been playing for any other country than India, he would be in the playing XI, let alone in the final 15.

"The second [notable miss in the squad] is Yuzvendra Chahal," he said. "Proven match-winner. Someone who has taken more number of wickets than any other spinner. If he was playing for any other country, he would have thought he would make the playing XI every time. After proving so much, he should have been there in the team," Harbhajan noted.

Although India has zeroed in on the final 15, all teams can make changes till September 28.

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