'I have always believed that leg-spinners are essential in ODIs'

Leg spinner Piyush Chawla has played just one ODI over the past two years but following his match-winning performance against Australia in a World Cup warm-up, he appears to have bagged a place in the Indian team.

The variety and control in Chawla's leg spin not only brought him four wickets on Sunday but also made him the frontrunner to clinch the second spinner's slot in India's World Cup line-up.

The 22-year-old was a surprise inclusion in India's 15-man squad for the Feb 19-April 2 showpiece as he had last played in the 50-over format in July 2008 -- in the Asia Cup against Pakistan -- before playing one match against South Africa last month.

Chawla was drafted into the side ahead of the more regular left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha to provide variety to an attack already boasting of two off-spinners in Harbhajan Singh and Ravichandran Ashwin.

"They have wisely included a leg spinner, Piyush Chawla, to partner Harbhajan Singh in the World Cup," Pakistan's World Cup-winning captain Imran Khan said.

"I have always believed that leg-spinners are essential in ODIs as they are attacking options and take wickets."

Source: rediff.com