‘He Should be Kept Alongside Ashwin, Jadeja’: Kumble Urges Rohit, Dravid to Bring Back Star Spinner in Tests – News18

Team India began their campaign in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 with a massive victory over the West Indies. Rohit Sharma and Co thumped the hosts by an innings and 141 runs to lead the two-match series 1-0. The spinners ruled the game, especially the Indian duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. They shared 17 out of 20 Windies wickets where Ashwin ended with a 12-wicket match haul while Jadeja bagged five across the two innings. Even for the hosts, the tweakers got three out of five Indian batters in the first innings.

Following the immense success of the spinners on Caribbean soil, former India captain Anil Kumble suggested that the team management should consider Kuldeep Yadav for such conditions.

The left-arm spinner last appeared in the first Test of the Bangladesh tour in which he picked up 8 wickets in the game and was adjudged Player of the Match. He was named in the squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at home but couldn’t make it to the West Indies tour.

“He should definitely be there because he is a very good bowler. Leg-spinners are very attacking bowlers and it is also difficult at times, they concede runs as well but you need to take a leg-spinner along with you and groom him, and whenever you get a chance, he should be given an opportunity,” said Kumble on JioCinema.

“Kuldeep Yadav is a very good spinner for Test matches. He has given very good performances whenever he has got a chance as well. There are a lot of wrist-spinners in white-ball formats. We are not getting to see them much in Test matches,” he added.

The former captain, who is currently a part of Jio Cinema’s commentary panel, mentioned that the duo of Ashwin and Jadeja has done a great job but suggested that Kuldeep should also be given a chance wherever possible.

“Ashwin and Jadeja are doing a very good job for the Indian team currently. Both are high-quality spin bowlers. The third spinner is also Axar Patel, he has done extremely well whenever he has got an opportunity. As I said, Kuldeep Yadav should also be kept alongside them and played whenever you get a chance,” said Kumble.

Kuldeep has so far played 8 Test matches and has picked up 34 wickets at an average of 21.55. He will be back in action for the ODI series against the West Indies that follows after the conclusion of the Tests.