India Need to Start Counting on the Kuldeep Yadav Factor

The wrist spinner, with his ability to take the pitch out of the equation, can be India's ace in the pack

- Somshuvra Laha

KOLKATA: Just over a year ago, 83 of 98 English wickets to fall were taken by Jasprit Bumrah, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav during a five-match home series. Off-spinner Ashwin averaged 24.8 runs per wicket and struck every 36.1 balls, left-arm spinner Jadeja averaged 25.05 and 46.2. Left arm wrist spinner Yadav? 20.15 and 36, numbers that were only bettered by Bumrah. If playing on the psychological pivot of recency was a game, India certainly lost that one when they announced the team for the Leeds Test.

Take out the last two sessions and India were effectively playing with two proper bowlers in Bumrah and Mohammad Siraj, Prasidh Krishna struggling with his length all the while as Jadeja was repeatedly being given the 'reverse' treatment by Ben Duckett. Barring Ollie Pope, England's top-order has always been edgy against proper spin bowling. Jadeja, anyway, is generally reliant on the surface and even he didn't exploit the rough outside the popping crease for a long time, something that hasn't gone unnoticed.

"You talk about experience, and he (Jadeja) has all the experience in the world," former England cricketer Mark Butcher was quoted as saying on the Wisden Cricket Weekly Podcast. "Somehow, it didn't seem to click with him or Rishabh Pant, the keeper, that it might be a good idea not to keep missing the rough all day to the left-handers."