Rohit Sharma has been quite secretive about his plans in the build-up to the pivotal Test series against England, especially in regards to the choice of third spinner.
The argument is around two players: the seasoned Kuldeep Yadav, who is making his Test comeback after a hiatus since December 2022, and the dependable Axar Patel, who has been selected for home series when Kuldeep is not available.
Kuldeep has established himself over the last 12 months, turning into a regular in white-ball cricket. greater purchase off the wicket has resulted from his altered motion, which includes a shorter delivery stride, an improved front arm, and greater arm speed. The national selectors decided to add him back into the Test squad as a result of his success in the condensed format. Wrist spinners with a left arm naturally offer a variety of possibilities for taking wickets, which gives the selection conundrum a strategic component.
“Kuldeep’s bowling gives you a certain X-factor.” You’ve watched his recent bowling performance. Particularly the bounce of the wicket, or lack thereof, Kuldeep also becomes a role in those kinds of situations because of his exceptional variations, Rohit was cited by ESPNcricinfo as saying.
“His bowling acumen has also improved significantly. It is evident that he has not played much Test cricket in India due to [R] Ashwin and [Ravindra] Jadeja. However, that is the reality. We all had our chance really late, just like with our middle order. But that’s how things really are. You are unable to avoid it. However, compared to where he was a few years ago, Kuldeep has developed significantly as a bowler, making him an extremely alluring choice,” he continued.
Kuldeep Yadav maximizes his use of the domestic circuit
The 29-year-old made a noteworthy comeback to the red-ball scene when he played in a Ranji Trophy match. It was his first match appearance in more than seven years and his first since becoming a Test cricketer. His remarkable display against Kerala—four wickets in 26 overs—illustrated his rejuvenated ability. Axar Patel’s poor performance in India’s previous home series against Australia in February and March of 2023 has brought attention to this comeback and created a selection dilemma for the forthcoming Test series.
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