Shreevats Goswami Discusses Yuzvendra Chahal’s Test Absence: What It Means

Shreevats Goswami takes on Yuzvendra Chahal’s Test absence in a Beyond23 Cricket podcast conversation published on September 26, 2026. His take is blunt: Chahal’s white-ball record earned him a shot at red-ball cricket, and the snub still doesn’t sit right. It also opens a bigger question about India’s selection — can a limited-overs specialist ever become a Test force?

Why Did Shreevats Goswami Question Chahal’s Test Absence?

Goswami said Chahal “has never played any Tests for India” and added, “If he had played Tests, he could have been one of the greats.” He called the absence surprising too, especially for a bowler who’s spent years as a recognised white-ball spinner for India.

Here’s the thing: limited-overs success doesn’t guarantee Test excellence. It never has. Test cricket asks for sustained control, tactical patience and the ability to build pressure across long spells. Even so, Goswami thinks Chahal’s skill set earned him a chance to show whether those qualities could develop at the highest red-ball level. That argument leads to the next question: what evidence backs the case for giving him that opportunity?

What Does Chahal’s India Record Say About the Debate?

Reports say Chahal has played 152 white-ball games for India and still hasn’t featured in a red-ball match. The same coverage noted his ODI debut against Zimbabwe in June 2016 — the start of a long international association with India’s limited-overs setup.

Those numbers show how unusual this discussion is. Chahal isn’t being judged on domestic promise or a brief international run; the debate comes from an established white-ball career. Worth noting, though: the available reporting gives no Test bowling record, no first-class comparison, no recent red-ball figures. So any claim about his likely Test impact stays an informed possibility, not a proven conclusion. Selection calls around experienced players also tie into our earlier coverage of the Ajit Absence BCCI issue, where squad decisions drew wider attention. For more detail, see BBC Sport.

Why Has India Preferred Kuldeep Yadav in Tests?

The reporting frames India’s Test preference around Kuldeep Yadav, with Chahal staying a key white-ball spinner. That split suggests the selectors viewed the two wrist-spinners through different tactical lenses rather than as direct substitutes.

A Test spinner needs control, variation and endurance over extended spells. Conditions, team balance and the presence of other bowlers all play a part too. But the verified discussion doesn’t name a specific selection meeting or offer a formal explanation from India’s board. So Goswami’s comments challenge the outcome without proving Chahal was definitively the better option. Which leaves one open question: can that missed chance still be revisited?

Could Chahal Still Have Become a Test Great?

Goswami’s phrase “could have been one of the greats” speaks to potential, not a settled career verdict. Chahal has never played a Test for India, so there’s no scorecard evidence to measure his red-ball effectiveness, workload or performance under changing conditions.

That distinction matters. A player can own elite white-ball skills and still meet a very different challenge in Tests, where batters leave deliveries, absorb pressure and adjust across sessions. Chahal’s supporters can

FAQs

What did Shreevats Goswami say about Yuzvendra Chahal’s absence from India’s Test squad?

Shreevats Goswami expressed that Yuzvendra Chahal possesses the skill and temperament to succeed in Test cricket, yet the leg-spinner has rarely received a consistent run in the longer format. Shreevats Goswami noted that Chahal’s limited opportunities in red-ball cricket stem from team combination preferences rather than any shortfall in ability.

Why does Shreevats Goswami believe Yuzvendra Chahal deserves more Test opportunities?

the Goswami pointed to Chahal’s wicket-taking instincts and composure under pressure as qualities that translate well to Test cricket. the Goswami also observed that Chahal has performed admirably whenever selected, which makes his prolonged absence from the Test side puzzling to many followers of the game.