New Delhi, July 16 India's left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav, who was consigned to the bench for the first three Tests of India's ongoing tour of England, must be wondering when he will get a chance to be in the playing XI, as per the spinner's childhood coach, Kapil Dev Pandey.
A loss in Headingley in the series opener, followed by a brilliant turnaround at Edgbaston and a heartbreaking loss at the Lord's Test, saw India trailing 1-2 in the five match series with the fourth Test scheduled to begin from July 23.
Exclusively speaking to IANS, Kuldeep's child coach Kapil called him a "crucial asset" for India in the fourth Test at Old Trafford, a venue which could prove helpful to spinners in the latter stages of the match.
'Yes, his morale is high, but deep down he must also be wondering when he'll get his chance—after all, he's only human. He can be a crucial asset for Team India in Manchester. I spoke to him; he's focused," Kapil Dev Pandey told IANS.
After spending the first three games of the series warming the bench, with India currently trailing 1-2, Kuldeep — who provides a valuable wrist-spin option and adds variation to the attack — may be brought in to boost the hosts’ chances of taking 20 wickets on a pitch traditionally favorable to spinners in the later stages.
Earlier, speaking to IANS after India's loss at the Lord's, former India wicket-keeper batter Surinder Khanna stressed that despite Washington Sundar’s impressive second innings bowling efforts, which sent Joe Root, Ben Stokes and Jamie Smith back to the pavilion, Kuldeep Yadav should be considered for the fourth Test.
"We can’t be rigid; yes, Sundar got important wickets but I feel Kuldeep Yadav can be a better bet. I always feel that the way the wicket reacts in the fourth innings, Kuldeep can be effective,” he said.
Moreover, former England cricketer David Lloyd also advised India to bring in the left-arm wristspinner for the fourth Test. “It (pitch) should be easy paced to start off with but we will get another five-day pitch and a result. India must play Kuldeep Yadav. Fingers crossed, the weather behaves. There’s a hosepipe ban in some areas up north!" he wrote in his column for Daily Mail.
Kuldeep made his Test debut back in March 2017 against Australia in Dharamshala. Since then, he has played a paltry 13 matches across nine series.
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