‘You take more wickets on the googly’: Indian selector to Piyush Chawla on why he was not being picked

Indian leg-spinner Piyush Chawla revealed that a selector had told him that he was not being picked for the Indian team because he was taking more wickets on the googly. The wily spinner also shared the fitting reply he had given to the selector.

Piyush Chawla shared his experiences of playing for India and in the IPL with Aakash Chopra on the latter’s YouTube channel.

Aakash Chopra talked about an incident when he had asked a selector why he was not picked for a camp as he had scored plenty of runs. He revealed that the selector had responded by saying that it was because the quality of his runs was not good.

The former Indian opener asked Piyush Chawla if he had ever had a similar experience. The new CSK recruit replied in the affirmative and divulged the amusing response he had got from one selector.

“The way you talked about quality of runs, even I talked to one selector. The selector’s response was that I take more wickets on the googly.”

Piyush Chawla also revealed the response he had given to the selector while giving the analogy of Sachin Tendulkar‘s straight drive, which seemed to have hit the selector pretty hard.

“You have been seeing me from my younger days, I don’t keep anything in my heart and speak spontaneously which many people don’t like. My only response was – ‘If Sachin paaji plays the straight drive well and if he makes 60 out of his 100 runs through the straight drive, does that hundred not have any value?’ I guess the selector felt hurt because of that.”

Aakash Chopra gave a wry smile at the befitting reply Piyush Chawla had given to the selector while adding that it did not make a difference if the wicket is taken through a leg-spinner or googly.

Piyush Chawla acknowledged the same while stating that taking the wicket is the critical thing, irrespective of how it comes.

“At the end of the day, wicket is wicket.”

Piyush Chawla’s limited international career

Piyush Chawla has played only three Test matches for India, in which he picked up seven wickets. Although he returned his best figures of 4/69 in the last Test he played, he never got an opportunity to play for India again.

Piyush Chawla has also represented India in 25 ODIs and seven T20Is. While he has scalped 32 wickets in ODIs, he got the better of four batsmen in T20Is. His greatest claim to fame has been being a part of the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup-winning squads.

The former Uttar Pradesh leg-spinner, who currently plays for Gujarat in the Ranji Trophy, has been a phenomenal performer at the domestic level. He has accounted for 445 wickets in first-class cricket and has 225 scalps to his name in List A cricket.

Piyush Chawla has been an exceptional performer in the IPL as well and has given many match-winning performances, especially for KKR. Overall, he is the fourth-highest wicket-taker in the IPL, with 150 scalps to his credit.