IND vs ENG: ‘If the wicket is similar to the last three Test matches, Kuldeep should play' Rahane puts his weight behind Kuldeep Yadav's inclusion

Indian Express

a day ago

While Indian team management is still pondering over the bowling attack combination for the fourth Test against England at Manchester post the 22-run loss in the Lord's Test, Indian assistant bowling coach Ryan ten Doeschate had talked about Jasprit Bumrah's inclusion for the fourth Test with India trailing the series 1-2. With wickets in the previous three Tests offering lots of runs except the last two innings at Lord's, the series has also seen some high scores being made. With the same kind of wicket expected in Manchester, former Indian captain Ajinkya Rahane has urged the team management to play leg-spinner Kuldeep Yadav whether Bumrah plays or not in the next Test.
'Depending on the condition of the wicket, I feel Kuldeep should play. If the wicket is similar to the last three Test matches, Kuldeep should play because you need guys who can get you those wickets. Our batting unit is doing really well. Even if you score 25-30 runs less, that's okay. But you need people who can get you those wickets. You don't want to depend on your leading fast bowlers every time.' Rahane said on his Youtube channel.
India had gone with pacer Akashdeep when Bumrah had missed the second Test at Edgbaston. Post the win in the second Test, Indian team management had dropped Prasidh Krishna with Bumrah coming back in the team. The 31-year-old pacer has so far taken 12 wickets in the series with an average of 21.00. The Indian had broken former Indian captain Kapil Dev's record of having the most five-fors by an Indian in overseas Tests with Bumrah surpassing Dev's record of 12 overseas five-fors with his 13th five-for in overseas Tests for India during the Lord's Test. While Arshdeep Singh had suffered a cut on his hand during a training session earlier this week, Rahane counts Arshdeep as somebody who should replace Bumrah in case he does not play in Manchester. 'I think so, yes. If Bumrah is not playing, Arshdeep is the guy. Because in England, you need a left-arm seamer who can swing the ball both ways, and also, with a different angle, he can create that rough for the spinners. So, if Bumrah doesn't play, Arshdeep should play the next one,' Rahane said.
26-year-old Arshdeep is yet to make his Test debut. The Indian pacer was rushed to the doctor post the cut and Rahane believes that Arshdeep's condition will be important in the team's planning in the next few days before the Manchester Test. 'He took a ball while he was bowling there. So he hit a ball, and he tried to stop it and it's just a cut. So we have to see how bad the cut is. Obviously, the medical team have taken him off to see a doctor and obviously, if he needs stitches or does he not, that will be important to our planning for the next few days,' Rahane said.