By: Tarish Bhatt
India must have regretted not playing an extra spinner along with the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja in the 3rd Test in Ranchi, which the home team came very close to winning.
Otherwise, chinaman Kuldeep Yadav couldn’t have played the decisive Test match against the Aussies in Dharamsala. His selection in the playing XI also reflected India’s daredevil attitude.
The hosts picked a regular bowler in place of injured Virat Kohli. In the end, India’s gambit paid off and Kuldeep emerged as a top performer for his team on the Day 1 of the 4th Test match.
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Kuldeep not only dismantled Australia, but also reduced India’s main performer Ravindra Jadeja to a mere support cast. With the pitch expected to assist the spinner from Day 2, he would be the man to watch out for.
This is the same Kuldeep, whose name was discussion for a big league after the Duleep Trophy last year. However, the opportunity never came. He was taken in place of Amit Mishra in the Indian Test squad.
Read More: Kuldeep Sinks Australia, After Smith’s Ton
But had to wait for a slot in the playing XI because both Ashwin and Jadeja maintained some good lead in the spin bowling front. They left no room for Kuldeep to figure in the Test match XI till the Dharamshala Test happened.
Each wicket that Kuldeep took was cheered in the dressing room. The team management knew that its choice of player was just doing what he does the best.