Is Sri Lanka tour Kuldeep Yadav's last lifeline?
When Kuldeep Yadav was being smashed to all parts of the ground in Pune by Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow earlier this year, the dejected look on his face was for all the world to see. He didn't look like the bowler who had taken the cricketing fraternity by storm and had the potential to become a world-class spinner.
The disappointment on the faces of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli was an indication of how ineffective Kuldeep Yadav had become. But was it about being ineffective or was his confidence an issue? Kuldeep was dropped for the very next game and was not named in the T20I squad.
Many felt that was the end of Kuldeep Yadav in T20Is, or at least as far as the T20 World Cup was concerned. However, the Sri Lanka tour has come as a blessing for the 26-year-old. Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, the main Indian team is currently in England and another squad is getting ready to face Sri Lanka.
With Kuldeep Yadav's name in the new-look Indian side, this is certainly a great chance for him to make a mark ahead of the T20 World Cup. But is this his last chance to make a successful comeback for India anytime soon?
A debut to remember for Kuldeep Yadav
When Virat Kohli injured his shoulder ahead of a crucial decider of the 2017 Border-Gavaskar Trophy game at Dharamsala, stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane had a decision to make - whether to play an extra batsman or an extra bowler.
Rahane went with the latter and gave a young Kuldeep Yadav his first international appearance. The series already had huge tempers flaring and there was a lot on the line. Australia just needed a draw to take home the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
On a pitch that traditionally aided the seamers, Kuldeep Yadav spun a web. He picked up four wickets and shell shocked the Australians. From 131-1, Australia couldn't even reach the 350-run mark and that was a huge boost for India. They won the game by eight wickets and Kuldeep announced his arrival.
The 'Kul-Cha' factor
After India's disappointing loss in the 2017 Champions Trophy final, skipper Virat Kohli took the bold decision to drop Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja and added wrist-spin in his bowling attack as the new mantra for success. Both Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal became first-choice spinners.
Suddenly, India began to look like world-beaters in white-ball cricket and won in Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. Kuldeep Yadav played a major role in England, picking up a fifer in the first T20I as India won the series 2-1. Both Kuldeep and Chahal began to compliment each other very well.
But that one game in the 2019 World Cup changed it all for both spinners. Kuldeep Yadav was smashed to all parts of the ground and was dropped for the remainder of the 2019 World Cup. India crashed out of the semifinals and the duo haven't played since.
However, the Sri Lanka series might see the two bowl in tandem once again. They have themselves been quite vocal about playing together and this could certainly bring the best out of Kuldeep Yadav.
From being 'No.1 choice overseas' to 'not even third choice'
Kuldeep Yadav's brilliant fifer in Sydney during the 2018-19 Border-Gavaskar Trophy was an indication of how good he was at his very best. Head coach Ravi Shastri even labelled him India's first-choice spinner overseas. Ironically, he hasn't played a Test overseas since then.
Kuldeep Yadav had to wait almost two years to get his next chance, in the second Test versus England at Chennai in February 2021. However, the presence of all-rounders like Axar Patel meant that Kuldeep got to bowl just six overs and got clobbered to all parts of the ground by Moeen Ali.
On a dust bowl in Ahmedabad in the next Test, Kuldeep Yadav was dropped and was not even the third spinner. Although it can be argued that the team combination was a crucial factor given the injuries to Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep's fall from grace has been disheartening.
Chance to redeem himself
Kuldeep Yadav was disappointed not to see his name in India's squad for the World Test Championship Final and the England tour. However, it could be a blessing in disguise as he could play all six games in Sri Lanka.
Coach Rahul Dravid has had a reputation for working with youngsters and building their confidence. Thus it would be a perfect opportunity for Kuldeep Yadav to gain some of his lost confidence back.
A good performance in the Sri Lanka series could also give Kuldeep Yadav some game time for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the second phase of the IPL ahead of the T20 World Cup. With the main Indian team looking strong and full of options, the Sri Lanka tour could be the final lifeline for Kuldeep Yadav to consistently play for India.