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Team India's path to the 2024 T20 World Cup continues with a T20I series against South Africa away from home. This marks the penultimate T20I series that India will play ahead of the tournament in June. So the management will be keen on ticking their boxes against a solid opponent.
The Men in Blue recently swept past Australia by a 4-1 margin on home soil with a squad devoid of some high-profile players. However, some of the names that missed out such as Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and Shubman Gill have made a return to the T20I squad.
The return of the first-team players certainly introduces a massive selection headache, with the fringe players having performed exceedingly well against Australia recently.
One such selection debate comes in the form of the first-choice spinner - which will come down to either one of Kuldeep Yadav and Ravi Bishnoi. Playing both of them in South African conditions, with Jadeja already present as a spin-bowling all-rounder will be a tall ask.
With no Hardik Pandya in the squad, the team will be looking to play three frontline pacers, leaving room for just one proper spinner in the playing XI.
On that note, let us take a look at who should India pick for the first T20I vs South Africa between Kuldeep Yadav and Ravi Bishnoi.
#1 Form
Ravi Bishnoi and Kuldeep Yadav are undoubtedly the two best wrist spinners in terms of skill and form, leaving Yuzvendra Chahal far behind. The duo have made significant progress after a poor patch and are seemingly in a square-off for a place in the first-choice playing XI.
Bishnoi was named player of the series for his heroics in the T20I series against Australia. He claimed nine wickets in five matches, and his performances also led to him attaining the number one spot in the T20I bowler rankings as well.
Kuldeep, on the other hand, has had a revival in the shortest format since IPL 2022. His revamped runup and quicker trajectory have impacted his turn, but it has made him a better bowler in the shortest format of the game. Kuldeep's last cricketing action came during the 2023 ODI World Cup, but he has also been in Team India's T20I plan for a while.
The left-arm wrist spinner has played seven T20Is in 2023, picking up eight wickets at an exceptional economy rate of 5.64. Six of those scalps came in the away series against the West Indies in July.
#2 Skillset
Both Ravi Bishnoi and Kuldeep Yadav have a distinct connection with South Africa. Bishnoi came into the spotlight in the 2020 U-19 World Cup which was held in the Rainbow Nation. Kuldeep, on the other hand, enjoyed a prolific tour in 2018, where he emerged as the leading wicket-taker in the ODI series.
Bishnoi has cultivated a reputation of being an unorthodox leg spinner, prompting the batters to play him like an off-spinner. His proficient googly has worked for him so far, and his recent displays in the powerplay are also quite promising, considering that Axar Patel is not part of the squad.
Kuldeep's innate wicket-taking ability is arguably second to none among spinners in the country. His variations also make things difficult for the batter, and since he has updated his bowling action and speed, it has become trickier for the batters to take him on as well.
The wrist spin duo are proficient against both left and right-handed batters as well. With the current Proteas batting unit filled with right-handed batters, it should prove to be a concern for both the bowlers.
As a result, India cannot possibly go wrong in terms of the choice.
#3 Rotation
Much like the other selection debates in the team following the return of senior figures, it all comes down to game time within the setup.
Team India do not have a lot of T20I matches in the leadup to the World Cup, with only a home series against Afghanistan scheduled early next year.
The players will get valuable time adjusting to the format in the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL), but there will not be many games where the entire unit will play together.
With Ravi Bishnoi having availed a chance in the Australia series, it might be time for him to step away just for a while for Kuldeep Yadav to get a hang of the shortest format again after an ODI-heavy season.
It seems harsh for Bishnoi to be benched right after reaching the summit in rankings, but he will certainly make it back into the playing XI as part of the rotation and avail the opportunity to prove that he can be the first-choice spinner for the World Cup.
However, it could be viewed from another angle as well. With Bishnoi in a stellar purple patch, the returning Kuldeep could have to wait for his opportunity.
The conditions might just suit Bishnoi just a touch more than Kuldeep, but both have shown what they are capable of in these conditions in the past, so it is not that big of a factor.
Who will Team India choose between Kuldeep Yadav and Ravi Bishnoi in the playing XI for the first T20I against South Africa? Let us know what you think.
