3 reasons why Kuldeep Yadav should be India’s third spinner ahead of Axar Patel in the England Tests.
3 reasons why Kuldeep Yadav should be India’s third spinner ahead of Axar Patel in the England Tests
India and England will face battle in a high-octane five-Test series in less than a week, with the first test starting on January 25 in Hyderabad.
The series will have a significant influence on the 2023-25 World Test Championship and is one of the most anticipated contests between two world-class teams.
Over the previous two years, England has dominated Test cricket, and India will face a formidable challenge.
The hosts are scheduled to field three spinners: Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel.
Kuldeep Yadav has been named the squad’s fourth spinner, and while he may not be the frontrunner to play, he may legitimately fight Axar for a position in the XI.
It may be absurd to imply that Axar, who averages 41.91 with the bat and 15.98 with the ball at home, could be left out of the XI.
But Kuldeep is no slouch, and despite the all-rounder’s batting depth and metronomic precision, he has a strong argument for selection.
1. Kuldeep Yadav has performed well in Tests and is in fantastic form
The presence of India’s finger-spinning all-rounders has prevented Kuldeep from being a regular member of the Test team.
However, in the opportunities he has had, the 29-year-old has shown to be a deadly red-ball bowler.
In eight Tests, Kuldeep has 34 wickets at an average of 21.55, including three five-wicket hauls.
For an aggressive bowler, his economy rate of 3.43 is more than enough. In Asia, in particular, he averages 20.34 in six Tests, taking nearly 30 wickets
More significantly, Kuldeep has been in fantastic form across all forms recently.
He is in the finest form of his career, with spectacular performances in all conditions against all opponents to cement his status as India’s leading spinner in ODIs and one of their first options in T20Is.
Kuldeep is a revolutionized bowler these days, and selecting him ahead of Axar may be a wise move informed by recent form.
2. Kuldeep Yadav’s style may offer India an advantage over teams like England
England has built a reputation as a team that thinks outside the box and takes the initiative to win Test matches.
In that aspect, a bowler like Kuldeep may provide them with more thought and challenge. Axar is tenacious with his lines and lengths, although this may not always be a good thing.
England’s hitters may be able to line him up and take advantage of his talents, particularly if their lineup includes a lot of left-handers.
In contrast, Kuldeep can spin the ball in both directions and is difficult to read from the hand.
Against a more traditional opponent, Axar would be the obvious choice. However, England is unpredictable, and India may need to learn from them in order to dominate the visitors.
3. India could build sports pitches, on which Kuldeep Yadav will be a stronger asset
Over the previous year or two, India’s home Test series has produced a number of rank-changing performances.
Axar has been a huge beneficiary of this, with a significant turn of the deck in his favor.
However, such a technique may backfire against England, which is known for its aggressive strokeplay and refusal to back down.
Preparing square turners might backfire for the hosts. Who can instead depend on their evident talent in all areas to accomplish the job on athletic fields.
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