3 reasons why Kuldeep Yadav should be India's primary spinner in the 2023 ODI World Cup

Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav has been making headlines for all the right reasons of late. The former U-19 World Cup player is coercing the management to carve out a place in the playing XI to accommodate him.

Having gone through a rough couple of years where he was on the sidelines of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which was followed by a major injury. Following his recovery and return to the national setup, the spinner has made the world take notice, especially with his exploits in ODIs.

The prospect of the 2023 ODI World Cup in the October-November window elevates Kuldeep Yadav's exploits of late. Once again coming into the side as a forced change, the spinner returned with figures of 3-51 to be India's match-winner in the second ODI against Sri Lanka at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

In a phase of time where Team India are largely struggling to make an impact with spin bowling like yesteryear, the left-arm spinner's performance comes across as a major positive.

Speaking of positives, here are three reasons why Kuldeep should be Team India's lead spinner in the bid for a third ODI World Cup later this year.

#1 Attacking option in the middle overs

The pairing of Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, and even Washington Sundar when he plays, have just not been among the wickets column as Team India would have wanted, despite their constant threat in subcontinent conditions,

Since 2022, the aforementioned trio have claimed 46 wickets in 33 matches. Kuldeep, on the other hand, has singlehandedly been responsible for 15 wickets in nine matches at an economy rate of five.

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The promise of wickets that the left-arm spinner offers is a lucrative one and not something that India can afford to waste. His ability to strike at timely intervals and break partnerships has already proven to be highly useful.

Even in the recent second ODI against Sri Lanka, he struck in his very first over with the wicket of Kusal Mendis, a moment which opened the floodgates, bringing India right back into the contest.

The key while bowling in India has always been the control of the middle overs, which is largely carried out by spin bowling. While the other names can bring control and tempo with them, Kuldeep comes across as an X-factor because of his innate ability to search for wickets and being successful in his pursuit more often than not.

#2 Head and shoulders above the rest of the options

The likes of Axar and Ravindra Jadeja will always feature in Team India's setup regardless of the format to restore balance with their batting ability. While they are largely tasked with keeping one end tight, the onus falls onto the lead spinner to chip in with the wickets.

In terms of primary spin bowling options, Team India realistically have three primal options in the form of Chahal, Kuldeep, and Ravi Bishnoi, so to say. Bishnoi has unfortunately not featured in the team's plans of late, with his last appearance coming in October 2022, which coincidentally was also his maiden ODI outing.

The senior wrist spin duo could potentially be competing for the same spot by the time the World Cup arrives. As things stand, Kuldeep has a significant advantage over his seniors in terms of consistency and productivity.

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The left-arm spinner's attempt to change his run-up to bring a quicker delivery into his arsenal has worked wonders so far while still remaining true to his naturally floated delivery that gets more turn compared to the former.

While Kuldeep has used his time away from the team to reinvent himself, Chahal is struggling to find some rhythm.

#3 Kuldeep has produced good numbers despite only playing sporadically so his best is yet to come

Kuldeep's game time has been a constant debate in recent times. He was dropped after a stunning four-fer against South Africa for Team India's subsequent assignment. He was roped in as a last-minute replacement in the third ODI against Bangladesh, before putting in a player of the match display in the first Test.

An eight-wicket haul and a handy knock with the bat were not enough as he was replaced by Jaydev Unakdat for the second Test. Similarly, he was not included in the playing XI for the first ODI and only came into the side for the next contest due to an injury to Yuzvendra Chahal.

The erratic nature of the selection, however, has not affected Kuldeep's numbers by any means. If the past is any indication, the key behind the left-arm spinner's success is confidence, just like the majority of wrist spinners, who are vulnerable at times in this era.

A consistent number of games in the ongoing home season would do him a world of confidence, which in turn will be reflected in his performances. If an under-cooked Kuldeep is capable of producing these numbers, one can only imagine what a threat he would be in full flow, hopefully coinciding with the World Cup.

Do you think Kuldeep Yadav should be Team India's lead spinner at the ODI World Cup 2023? Let us know what you think.

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