India spin-bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule has backed Kuldeep Yadav to retain his place in the team, explaining that the wrist-spinner’s limited impact in the first Test against Sri Lanka was largely down to the role demanded of him in Galle.
Kuldeep managed only one wicket across the two innings as India secured victory in the first Test. With Sri Lanka adding left-handed batters to their squad for the second Test in Colombo, India could also consider off-spinner Saransh Jain, but Bahutule said the final call would depend on the pitch.
“Kuldeep has been bowling extremely well. It’s just that due to the situation that arose in Galle, he had to play a different role. He tried his best to execute that role,” Bahutule said.
The coach explained that Kuldeep had to adjust his pace and trajectory according to the conditions continually.
“We had to see how the trajectory and the speeds work in every session. As the days went by, there was a demand for different types of speeds and trajectories, he definitely was making an effort to bowl that.”
India keeping Saransh Jain option open
India have another spin option in Saransh Jain, particularly after Sri Lanka bolstered their batting with additional left-handers.
Bahutule did not rule out the possibility of bringing the off-spinner into the XI, but said India would wait until the pitch was ready before making a decision.
“There is another day to go before the Test. We will have a look at the pitch and understand what will be the need. Yes, the (left-handed) additions are there in their team. We will definitely consider him (Saransh) once the pitch is completely ready to play,” he said.
Bahutule also praised Manav Suthar, describing the left-arm spinner as a reliable option after his experience in domestic cricket.
“He is very accurate and his trajectories are getting better. He puts in a lot on the ball, the revolutions are good and he is somebody who is like a banker for us.”
Bahutule backs Kuldeep Yadav despite first Test returns
Despite Kuldeep’s modest wicket tally in Galle, Bahutule remains convinced of his value to the team.
“He has been a fabulous bowler over the years. Yes, the pitches sometimes are slow and sometimes the ball operates differently for the spinners on certain surfaces. But for me, he has always been a match winner and he definitely is in the scheme of things.”
The coach also highlighted one of the difficulties facing wrist-spinners on slower surfaces.
“When the ball becomes softer, it becomes even more difficult for a wrist-spinner like him.”
India’s preparation has also focused on helping the spinners adapt to conditions, with the team arriving early for the tour and using a warm-up game and open net sessions to understand the surfaces.
“It’s very difficult for a player sometimes to adjust to different formats. But I think what we did coming early on this tour was, you know, in that warm-up game and in the open net sessions, we trained well and got to understand the conditions and could adapt to them,” Bahutule said.
With the second Test approaching, the pitch will therefore play a key role in determining India’s spin combination, while Kuldeep remains firmly in the team’s plans despite his subdued returns in Galle.