Former India all-rounder Bangar is the latest to back Kuldeep’s inclusion in the Indian XI, joining prominent voices such as Ravi Shastri.
Kuldeep Yadav has been in fine touch across formats in recent months, his consistent performances ensuring a place for him in India’s squad for the first two Tests against Australia.
Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja are set to resume their formidable partnership in a home Test series as the primary spinners, with Jadeja returning to action after a long injury layoff. As for the third spinner in the XI, many prominent voices within Indian cricketing circles have backed Kuldeep, including former India all-rounder Sanjay Bangar.
“In the bowling department, I feel Kuldeep Yadav will be a big impact player because I remember the 2017-18 series at Dharamsala, he picked up those three or four wickets which laid the foundation for India winning the Test series.
“India have some very good finger spinners in Ravichandran Ashwin, Jadeja and Axar Patel, whoever the team picks. But in at least two Test matches I foresee Kuldeep Yadav playing and keep making a big impact for the Indian team,” Bangar, who also served as India batting coach in the past, said on Star Sports.
And it’s not just Bangar who has vouched for Kuldeep’s inclusion in the XI. Former India head coach Ravi Shastri, whose coaching staff included Bangar, voiced his support for the left-arm wrist spinner in the build-up to the first Test in Nagpur.
“As far as third spinner is concerned, I would like to see Kuldeep play straightaway… If anyone spins it one Day 1, it will be Kuldeep. If the track doesn’t have too much on offer, then Kuldeep can come into play,” Shastri said on Monday.
Kuldeep had registered a Player-of-the-Match-winning performance in the first Test against Bangladesh in December and would subsequently feature in the limited-overs fixtures against Sri Lanka and New Zealand in the build-up to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
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