Australia vs India, 2018-19: 3 reasons to play Kuldeep Yadav in the Adelaide Test

#3 Freshness and the ability to adapt

Kuldeep began his first tour of Australia with an impressive T20I tour, ending as second-highest wicket taker and with the best economy rate.

Kuldeep Yadav does not come with a baggage of heart-wrenching overseas defeats which many of the Indian bowlers do. India have not enjoyed a great run in overseas Tests - especially in Australia, New Zealand, England and South Africa - in the last decade or so. In fact, the last such series that India won was in New Zealand during 2008-09.

However, Kuldeep Yadav has adapted quite well in all formats on his first tours to West Indies, Sri Lanka, South Africa, England and now Australia (he bowled only nine overs in Tests in England, so that can be counted out). His variations, flight and stomach to get beaten around in the process of inviting batsmen to take risks has paid off quite well so far, fetching him wickets in heaps.

He has been impressive in his first Australian tour so far, finishing as the second highest wicket-taker and the most economical bowler in the recently concluded T20I series there. He got wickets in all the matches, even as most of the Indian bowlers suffered to deliver there on a consistent basis. Kuldeep relishes the prospects of leading India's spin attack in Tests as well.

Though Ravindra Jadeja has still not played that many matches outside India, Ashwin has really not been among the wickets in non-tropical conditions such as those in England, Australia and South Africa even after having played over 15 Tests there. Although it even took Anil Kumble to get going in such conditions, he managed a five-wicket haul on his very first tour to South Africa, something that has still eluded Ashwin in such conditions.

Kuldeep would prove to be a perfect fit, and would surely get some purchase and wickets if he gets to bowl long spells here.