BRIDGETOWN: For the team management, this has been one of the most difficult dilemmas ever on how to unleash Kuldeep Yadav who arrived in the event with a blistering form but hasn’t played a game yet?
Now that India is into West Indies leg of the World Cup, could there be a temptation to get him into playing XI as a left-arm wrist spinner?
On both days at Kensington Oval here, China man bowler was seen rolling his arm over for long spells. Kuldeep was surely best among other spinners during net sessions.
Both Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep turned the ball quite well in their long spell. Whether or not it will be so for Thursday’s practice strip and center-wicket, I cannot say. But if it is something similar then Kuldeep should be in.
Kuldeep dismissed Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli during that over; not several people have succeeded in doing that wherever they are playing. While Rohit knocked one back at Kuldeep’s hands, Virat’s outside-off slash should have resulted in catch at cover point.
However breakage of this winning combination by including kuldeep here would mean problem. Any of Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jadeja and Axar Patel are set to play for India on Sunday against Zimbabwe because they are also part-time seamers. But if there has to be any change then it can only be Mohammed Siraj going out.
“India should ideally go with three pacers and three spinners but let us see whether they are ready to risk,” said an insider who knows Kensington Oval conditions pretty well according to TOI.
Even team management feels that keeping out kuldeep is slightly unfair. In his comments Paras Mhambrey has said he wouldn’t be surprised seeing this left-armer in action as soon as the contingent flies down to West Indies.
Captain Rohit too had spoken of some “secret” up his sleeve that he didn’t want to divulge in New York. “You’ll have to wait for some more time to know what it is,” Rohit had said during one of his interactions.
It feels like Kuldeep may well be the secret weapon that Rohit was referring to when conditions are slightly favorable for spinners. Nonetheless, there is no denying that the attack looks much better balanced with two finger spinners and a wrist spinner, all in form.
In addition, they should bear in mind that Aussie leggie Adam Zampa became Man of the Match here after a high-scoring match against England.
Pant rests
Rishabh Pant spent almost the whole day on Monday at batting and wicket-keeping but took time off on Tuesday. It was just an optional session and Pant might have been cooling his heels ahead of a final training session on Wednesday.
