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

If there is one Indian bowler who has looked extremely consistent for India over the last two seasons, it has to be Kuldeep Yadav. Having made his international debut in the series decider against Australia in a Test match at Dharamsala in March 2017, there have been very few days Kuldeep has not made headlines with his bowling performances.

Kuldeep's bowling turned heads on the very first day of the match, getting the wicket of David Warner followed by a fantastic chinaman and a wrong-un to clean bowl Peter Handscomb and Glenn Maxwell respectively. India won the match, and the performance also led to his selection for the limited-overs squads for the West Indies tour.

While Kuldeep instantly grabbed the opportunity to seal a place in the ODI and T20 side, the main reason he did not get selected for too many Test matches was the strong performances of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja on subcontinent wickets. Despite that, he followed a four-wicket haul on his debut with another one in just his second Test at Pallakele to finish with nine wickets in two Tests.

Though he was ignored for the Test leg during the South African tour, strong performances in the limited over matches in South Africa and then in England led to his selection for the first three Tests during the England tour. Getting to bowl only nine overs in the second Test at Lord's, he was sent back to India to play a few first-class matches and get some rhythm going in red ball cricket.

He was picked again for India's home series against West Indies to play alongside Ashwin and Jadeja. He impressed one and all, finishing second highest wicket-taker with ten wickets in the two-Test series. He also got a five-wicket haul in the second innings during the first Test at Rajkot to become only the second Indian bowler with a five-wicket haul in all formats.

With almost 80 international wickets this year, Kuldeep was selected for the T20I as well as Test squad for the tour of Australia. He continued his stunning limited overs form to finish as one of the leading wicket-takers, along with a tight economy during the T20 series. Once again, he earned the praise of his captain Virat Kohli and looks certain to figure in the Test series at some point.

However, there are a few reasons why Kuldeep Yadav should be included in the first Test match at Adelaide if India are looking to win the series. Let us have a look at three major reasons why Kuldeep should be selected at Adelaide.

#1 Ability to spin the ball on all surfaces

Shane Warne is the leading wicket-taker at the Adelaide Oval, with 56 wickets from just 13 Tests over there.

The Adelaide Oval as well as Brisbane Cricket Ground, the venues for the first two Test matches, are not typically supportive of spin. However, wrist spinners such as Shane Warne and Richie Benaud have enjoyed an impressive record here, taking wickets at a good strike rate. Nathan Lyon, Australia's leading off-spinner has enjoyed a good record here as well.

However, India's Ravichandran Ashwin has not enjoyed a great record here, mainly due to his inability to spin the ball by much on flat or unresponsive wickets. Even Anil Kumble, India's best wrist spinner got a five-wicket haul here during India's historic victory in December 2003. Which just goes to show the value of wrist spinners on this ground.

Kuldeep Yadav is one of the rare bowlers in today's cricket who has the ability to spin the ball square both ways on most surfaces. He is also a quickly evolving bowler and is adding more variations to his bowling such as a seam up quicker ball and changes in pace.

If India are planning not to experiment in the very first Test match of what is a golden opportunity to win their maiden Test series in Australia, they should attack with Kuldeep Yadav - rather than playing him later when the series might have got out of their hands.

#2 The mystery factor is still relevant

Besides coming from an unconventional angle, Kuldeep's bowling is hard to pick off the hands and in the air.

Most batsmen in the world who have had the chance to play Kuldeep Yadav in the limited period of time he has been around, have been unable to pick him. Most of his hundred-odd wickets have come with batsmen failing to gauge the direction the ball is spinning in. And, there are a few major reasons why this is happening.

First of all, there have not been too many chinaman bowlers in cricket's history. Plus, just like the very successful Brad Hogg, Kuldeep has the ability to spin the ball square both ways. He is also quite accurate and though he does not have a flipper as good as that of Brad Hogg, he has developed a seam-up quicker delivery and is working on his flipper.

Kuldeep knows that mysteries don't take long to get decoded, and is thus working on his control and more variations. He is constantly taking advice from his seniors, including MS Dhoni and legendary spinners such as Shane Warne and Anil Kumble. The best thing is that he is learning with all of the international exposure he has received in such a short span of time.

#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.