3 reasons why Kuldeep Yadav must start for India in the ODIs against Sri Lanka 

Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav has come across as a rare prospect even in a talent-filled region like India. He transitioned well into the national team after credible domestic outings and an appearance in the 2014 U-19 World Cup but has fizzled out with time.

After a rough spell that saw him on the sidelines for his former Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), he also proceeded to lose his spot in the Indian team as well. However, a promising IPL 2022 campaign in Delhi Capitals (DC) colors, followed by promising outings with Team India of late, instills hope for the future of the talented bowler.

He recently performed well in the first Test against Bangladesh in December 2022. Despite claiming eight wickets and the player of the match award, it, unfortunately, was not enough for him to warrant a spot in the next Test. Such inconsistency in selection has arguably been the root cause of Kuldeep's woes, with talent and ability to perform at the highest level certainly not being the issue.

With only ten months to go until the World Cup, Team India will be playing 12 ODIs at home, a set of matches that could prove to be very crucial for the left-arm wrist spinner.

As Team India head into their first set in terms of their World Cup preparations in the form of a three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, here are three reasons why Kuldeep must be a part of the playing XI.

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#1 Kuldeep Yadav is in excellent rhythm

Like the aforementioned Test against Bangladesh, Kuldeep has looked in good touch. Varying his pace and getting some grip off the surface, the spinner has found a good groove on the back of his consistent appearances for India, especially in ODI cricket.

He is among the best candidates to fully exploit the turning conditions of the subcontinent. The fastest spinner to claim 100 ODI wickets has performed admirably well in the 50-over format since his return from a critical knee injury that ruled him out for six months.

In 2022, he has claimed 12 wickets from eight ODIs at an average of 27.75 and a solid economy of 4.96. As a result, his inclusion is a must if India want to make the most out of his rhythm as well as prolong it for their benefit.

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#2 Yuzvendra Chahal is not in the best of form at the moment

The ploy to strengthen and extend the batting order has prevented the wrist spin duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep from featuring together. Dominating the spin bowling circuit during their time together, it is unlikely that both will feature together considering that Washington Sundar and Axar Patel are putting in consistent outings at the moment.

With only a solitary wrist-spinner set to feature in the playing XI, it is set to be a straight shoot-out between Chahal and Kuldeep, and all things considered, it is the latter that holds the aces. Chahal has only featured in one ODI since July 2022 when compared to Kuldeep's seven.

Chahal has also largely looked off-color of late. He had an average series against Sri Lanka in the T20Is, looking lost on surfaces that are not tailor-made for spinners.

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#3 Crucial to give Kuldeep an extended run of games for his confidence

Kuldeep knows better than anyone that all of his regained momentum would be for nothing if he is not provided the chance to perform on the field on a consistent basis.

Prior to the Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he also performed well, the left-arm spinner was named in the ODI squad for the home series against South Africa. He won the Player of the Match award for claiming figures of 4-18 but was not selected for the next set of ODIs against New Zealand. He was not named in the ODI squad for the Bangladesh series as well but came in as a replacement for the third ODI.

Confidence has been a definite factor in Kuldeep's bowling from the start. He performs at his best when the management and skipper on the field unanimously back him to the fullest extent. As a left-arm wrist spinner, confidence is an important tool in the armory, and devoid of it, the bowler will look like a shadow of his best self, which has happened with Kuldeep before as well.

A slight bonus factor, which tips the scale in the spinner's favor for the series against Sri Lanka, is that he boasts a relatively good record in Thiruvananthapuram and Kolkata, which will play host to two matches.

He is familiar with the Eden Gardens largely due to his stint with KKR in the IPL and has also picked up a hat-trick in his sole ODI appearance at the iconic stadium.

Will the left-arm wrist spinner feature in the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka? Let us know what you think.

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