The last time Indian spinners bowled in tandem in a limited-overs series in the United Kingdom, they had not had the best of outings. Ask R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. The duo had a torrid time trying to make hay as the sun shined during the English summer of 2016.
Their below-par performance during the Champions Trophy, in which India lost to arch rivals Pakistan in the final, led the way to their exclusion from the limited-overs set up. Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal were brought in as replacements.
The theory was that wrist-spinners could induce turn off the hard wickets prevalent in countries such as England, which incidentally will host the ODI World Cup in 2019.
With the marquee event just over the horizon, India’s tour of the United Kingdom, which began with a T20I in Ireland, holds great importance with respect to the young spinners’ effectiveness on these surfaces.
Their exploits in South Africa had already made it clear that the ploy would work. The wickets there are similar in their make – hard and true. Their ability to adopt the role of an attacking bowler was one aspect that needed some clarity.
Now, in the UK, all eyes were on the duo. Captain Virat Kohli included both the bowlers in the playing XI in the first of two T20Is against minnows Ireland. Kuldeep and Chahal not only produced the goods, they put India in charge as the hosts looked to chase an imposing target of 209 in Malahide.
Bowling in tandem at most times, Kuldeep picked up four wickets, while Chahal chipped in with three. Together the spin-twins stifled any Irish hopes of an upset.
While performances against an Irish outfit should be taken with a pinch of salt, the bowlers’ ability to produce wicket-taking deliveries at regular intervals should not be discounted.
The early success has given the Indian team management an option of including two spinners in the playing XI in the rest of the UK tour.
“After one game you cannot say how wickets will be throughout the tour,” said Kuldeep, cautious in his assessment of the conditions. “This one had a little turn and the ball was turning, but as we play more matches on this tour, maybe the wickets in England will be different.”
Dry wicket
It is also prudent to note that Ireland is currently experiencing a heat wave. The intense rise in temperatures meant that the grass on much of the outfield and the wicket had dried off. The change saw the wicket considerably turn.
When it comes to variations Kuldeep and Chahal are one of the best in the game currently. They have all but mastered the art of deceiving batsmen with a change of pace, line and length. They used all the experience to wreak havoc through the Irish batting order as India waltzed to a 76-run victory.
It is not common for teams to use two spinners in the UK, let alone two wrist-spinners. The hard wickets seldom offer rough areas in one day’s play. Normally in limited overs cricket, teams try to operate with a pacer and spinner during a spell, largely to allow the pacer at the other end a chance to create rough areas at the other.
If there is a possibility of using spinners from both ends, one usually adopts a defensive approach. In India’s case Kuldeep and Chahal are both attacking bowlers. To use them together was a risky proposition.
Considering how well the England team is performing currently, indulging in the idea of using both wrist-spinners in the T20Is and the ODIs would have kept the team management in two minds. However, a positive performance in the first outing should inspire confidence of the ability of these two bowlers to deliver even in England.
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