The 23-year-old left spinner took 14 wickets in five matches during the limited overs’ leg.
(L-R) R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja (Photo: IANS), Kuldeep Yadav.
Former England off-spinner Graeme Swann believes India’s chinaman spinner Kuldeep Yadav should play in the opening Test match of five-match series ahead of either spin wizard R Ashwin or all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. However, Swann also warned the visitors against over-exposing the left-arm wrist spinner.
The 23-year-old left spinner took 14 wickets in five matches during the limited overs’ leg.
“If I was an Indian, I would desperately want him to play in the Tests because he does provide mystery and the English batsmen cannot pick his googly. He also bowls a good length and went for just 20-odd on a beautiful batting wicket at Nottingham. He doesn’t give the batsmen enough opportunity to see the ball off pitch, and can hit a perfect length and pace,” Swann said.
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“If India use him wisely, he could be a massive bowler for them this summer, particularly if it continues to stay dry. This is where some caution is needed. He has bowled well, but he has also come up against two very poor teams against wrist spin in South Africa and England,” Swann further said, adding, “So, my advice would be to not get carried away and put too much pressure on Kuldeep that he has to perform and do well always, which I thought happened in the latter half of the ODI series.”
Swann also said if it was India, R Ashwin and Jadeja would be the ideal choice but in English condition, he would start with Kuldeep Yadav.
“It is a tough call. But I would want to look and say ‘whom do England want to face? When playing in India, that answer would be Ashwin and Jadeja a hundred percent, and they would be my first two names on the sheet. In England, are they still the first two names? “
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