3 reasons why Kuldeep Yadav should be India's third spinner ahead of Axar Patel for the England Tests

India and England are less than a week away from facing off in a high-octane five-Test series, with the opening encounter to commence in Hyderabad on January 25.

The series will have a major impact on the 2023-25 World Test Championship while also being one of the most highly anticipated clashes between two world-class teams. England have been rampant in Tests over the last two years, and India will have a real task on their hands.

The hosts are expected to go in with Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel as their three spinners. Kuldeep Yadav has been picked in the squad as the fourth spinner, and while he may not be a frontrunner to play, he can genuinely challenge Axar for a spot in the XI.

It might seem ludicrous to suggest that Axar, who averages 41.91 with the bat and 15.98 with the ball at home, could be out of the XI. But Kuldeep is no slouch and might have a case to be picked ahead of the all-rounder despite the batting depth and metronomic accuracy the latter offers.

India’s squad for the first two Tests vs England: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), KS Bharat (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah (vice-captain), Avesh Khan.

Here are three reasons why Kuldeep Yadav should be India's third spinner ahead of Axar Patel for the England Test series.

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#3 India should prepare sporting wickets, and on those, Kuldeep Yadav will be a better asset

Kuldeep Yadav picked up a five-fer in Sydney early in his Test career

India's home Test series over the last year or two have featured plenty of rank turners. Axar has been one of the major beneficiaries of the same, with appreciable turn off the deck playing into his hands.

However, such an approach could backfire against England, who are renowned for their aggressive strokeplay and unwillingness to back down. Preparing square turners could turn out poorly for the hosts, who can instead rely on their obvious quality in both departments to do the job on sporting surfaces.

If the wickets contribute to the Tests lasting five days, or at least close to five days, Kuldeep might be a better option than Axar. Axar's batting might not be needed if the frontline batters have the conditions to make big runs, and without much assistance from the deck, a wrist-spinner might be a more potent threat.

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#2 Against a team like England, Kuldeep Yadav's style could give India an edge

Axar Patel is accurate, but will be able to restrict the Bazball charge?

England have made a name for themselves as a team that think out of the box and take the initiative upon themselves to notch up Test wins. In that regard, a bowler like Kuldeep might give them more to think about and challenge them more.

Axar is relentless with his lines and lengths, but that might not necessarily be a good thing. England's batters might be able to line him up and utilize his strengths to their advantage, especially if they have plenty of left-handers in their lineup.

In contrast, Kuldeep can turn the ball appreciably in both directions and isn't easy to read from the hand. The left-arm wrist-spinner is excellent at varying his pace and coaxing attacking shots from batters, and the chaos he brings might play into India's hands.

Against a more conventional opposition, Axar would be the straightforward pick. But England are unpredictable, and India might have to take a leaf out of their book to dominate the visitors.

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#1 Kuldeep Yadav has done well in Tests and is in good form

Kuldeep Yadav has been a reliable performer for the Men in Blue of late

The presence of India's finger-spinning all-rounders has meant that Kuldeep has never been able to become a regular member of the Test side. But in the chances he has gotten, the 29-year-old has proven to be a dangerous red-ball bowler.

In eight Tests, Kuldeep has picked up 34 wickets at an average of 21.55, with three five-wicket hauls to his name. For an attacking bowler, his economy rate of 3.43 is more than acceptable. In Asia, in particular, he averages 20.34 in six Tests, with almost 30 scalps.

More importantly, Kuldeep has been in excellent form across formats of late. He is in the best rhythm of his career, with standout displays in all conditions against all oppositions to solidify his spot as India's premier spinner in ODIs and one of their first choices in T20Is.

Kuldeep is a transformed bowler these days, and picking him ahead of Axar could be a welcome decision heavily influenced by his current form.

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