Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal’s exploits over the past few years have seen the experienced duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja get limited opportunities in limited overs cricket.
While Jadeja made an ODI comeback in the recently-concluded home series against Australia, Ashwin hasn’t been involved in white-ball cricket for 19 months.
Read - Kuldeep Yadav is now India’s primary overseas spinner in Tests, says Ravi Shastri
However, chairman of selectors MSK Prasad revealed that the need for a variety in spin bowling made the committee back the young spin duo.
“It is not that Ashwin and Jadeja were dropped. They were definitely doing a reasonably good job. But we actually wanted variety in our spin bowling department,” Prasad was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.
“In the quest for that variety, we have unearthed Kuldeep and Chahal, who have done extremely well so far. Today we are happy and confident that we have enough bench strength [Kuldeep, Chahal, Ashwin, Jadeja, Gowtham, Washington Sundar, Jayant Yadav, Axar Patel, Shahbaz Nadeem, Mayank Markande] in the spin department who are all competent enough,” he said.
With strong competition for places in the team, Prasad also highlighted the importance of performances in the domestic circuit for a comeback.
‘India is such a vast country and once a player is dropped, there are many waiting in the queue. This uncertainty creates doubt in their minds. But my advice is that the only thing that is in players’ hands is to go back to domestic cricket and perform enough to make a comeback. Mohinder Amarnath and VVS Laxman are perfect examples, who scored heavily in domestic cricket whenever they were dropped and got back into the main team with ease,” he continued.
Yadav had earlier said that the younger lost had just made use of the opportunities given to them.
“We haven’t ousted anyone but made use of opportunities that we got,” was how young left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav responded when asked if Yuzvendra Chahal and his performances have literally shut the one-day international door on veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.
“No, no, not at all. We haven’t ousted anyone. It’s just that we have got the opportunities and we did well. They [Ashwin and Jadeja] have always been doing well for India. In Test matches, Ash [Ravichandran Ashwin] and Jaddu Bhai [Ravindra Jadeja] are still playing,” Kuldeep had said earlier.
The wrist spinner was happy with fact that all spinners were performing well.
“And we learn a lot from them. They have a lot of experience. When I am in the Test squad, I learn a lot from them. Whenever we got an opportunity, for me and Chahal, we have performed for the team and that helped the team to win, so happy about it.
“To be honest, me, [Yuzvendra Chahal] and Jaddu bhai [Ravindra Jadeja] are playing really well so nothing much to worry about and we are focusing game by game,” added Kuldeep.
(with PTI inputs)
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