Piyush Chawla says Team India recall was expected

Leg-spinner Piyush Chawla said on Saturday that he was expecting a recall to the Indian national side, following good performances in the fifth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and domestic circuit.


Chawla was on Friday included in the Indian Test squad for the two-match series against New Zealand, which begins on August 23 at Hyderabad.

"I was expecting to see my name in the World T20 squad after performing well in the IPL and shorter formats in the domestic circuit. However, I am pleasantly surprised to be selected for the Tests.

“For me, Test cricket is the ultimate format and I am very happy to be part of the Indian Test team again," Chawla was quoted as saying by the Times of India.

The right-arm spinner’s last appearance for India was in 2008 against South Africa.

“Now, I know how to handle the success and failure. It's not easy to break into this Indian side, especially for a spinner. I have worked hard for the last twelve months. Sometime it used to hurt me but it also motivated me to work hard on different aspect of my game," he said.

The 23-year-old cricketer said it is unfair to label any cricketer as per formats.

"It's unfair to name somebody Test or one-day or Twenty20 cricketer. I have taken 299 first class wickets so I must have done something right. As a cricketer, I love to play all the formats,” he said.

“Each format has its own challenges. I want to do well in all the matches I play for the country," he said.