VVS Laxman has opined that wrist spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal should play in tandem for Team India in the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka.
A 20-member Indian team will play six limited-overs internationals in Sri Lanka, with the first ODI scheduled for July 13. Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal are among six spinners who are part of the squad.
VVS Laxman: Kuldeep Yadav Requires To Get His Confidence Back By Playing More Games
VVS Laxman cast his vote for wrist spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal to play together in the three-match ODI series, during a discussion on Star Sports,
VVS Laxman said: “I definitely would like to see them play in the three ODIs. There are six spinners. In ODIs, each bowler will get to bowl ten overs. The more overs they bowl, the more success they have, they will get back their confidence, especially Kuldeep.”
The former India batsman VVS Laxman highlighted that the tour is particularly important for chinaman spinner Kuldeep Yadav to regain his lost confidence.
VVS Laxman elaborated: “We know Chahal is a very successful and experienced bowler. He is high in confidence and a very important member keeping in mind the T20 World Cup. But Kuldeep requires to get his confidence back.”
Kuldeep Yadav has got sporadic opportunities in the Indian team over the last couple of years. He has even been benched by the Kolkata Knight Riders, who have not played the left-arm wrist-spinner even a single match in IPL 2021 thus far before the league’s postponement.
Irfan Pathan: If Hardik Pandya Can Bowl, Chances Of Yuzvendra Chahal And Kuldeep Yadav Playing Together Will Increase
Irfan Pathan added that Kuldeep Yadav, who had a terrific start to his international career, can only gain confidence by playing more matches.
“The only way he can get confidence is by playing matches, by bowling more and more overs. He has been a very very successful bowler in a short span of time for Indian cricket. He is one of the quickest to take 100 wickets and he is a wicket-taker.”
The former India all-rounder signed off by stating that the chances of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal playing in tandem will increase if all-rounder Hardik Pandya can roll his arm over.
“I am looking forward to seeing not only Kuldeep and Chahal bowling together but I am hoping that Hardik Pandya starts bowling. If he starts bowling, it makes it easier to play both of them.”
Kuldeep Yadav breached the 100-wicket mark in ODI cricket in just 58 matches. Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah, who achieved the distinction in 56 and 57 matches respectively, are the only Indian bowlers to reach the milestone quicker.
He played only 14 games in 2019 and 2020 for KKR and his average was above 70 in both editions which is extremely poor by standards unlike his average in IPL 2016-2018 which was less than 30. In ODIs, he averaged 17.78 with the ball in 2018 picking as many as 45 wickets in 19 games but has picked only 6 scalps in 7 ODIs in 2020-21. In T20Is his overall bowling average is an extraordinary 13.77 but he has got limited opportunities.
Kuldeep Yadav played 9 T20Is in 2018 and featured in just 4 T20Is in the last two years (2 T20Is in 2019 and 2 T20Is in 2020). The spinner’s last international appearance was against England where Kuldeep Yadav struggled in the first two ODIs against England and was replaced by pacer T Natarajan for the final 3rd ODI.
The left-arm spinner went wicketless in the two games. In the first ODI, he was hit for 68 runs in 9 overs. In the 2nd ODI, Kuldeep Yadav was hammered for 84 runs in 10 overs.