Axar Patel or Kuldeep Yadav - who should start in India's playing 11 for 1st IND vs BAN Test 2024?
The beginning of Team India's home season brings upon a familiar selection debacle in the spin department. The selection headache for the third spin candidate has always been a pressing one for the management since they have two credible candidates in Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel to take on the role.
Playing them both in the playing XI is out of the question as long as Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja are in the mix. This leads to one of Axar or Kuldeep almost always missing out due to the balance of the side.
Despite talks of a red soil pitch to aid the preparations for the Border-Gavaskar series, the Chepauk is the Chepauk, and it is hard to envision India not taking the field with three spinners. Even if the surface does not end up being a rank-turner, the provision of three frontline spinners is valuable in subcontinent conditions, particularly when none of the batters are adept at contributing with the ball.
On that note, let us take a look at who should start in India's playing XI for the first IND vs BAN Test 2024 between Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel.
#1 The pure bowler vs all-rounder debate
As mentioned earlier, this is not the first time that a selection debate has come down to choosing one of Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel. Whenever the subject of selecting one of them is broached, Kuldeep's ability as a wrist spinner is put up against Axar Patel's ability with the bat that offers depth.
Then, according to what the team needs, the final decision is made. For a home series against Bangladesh, the priority is likely to be fielding proper bowlers ahead of batting depth. In that regard, Kuldeep Yadav has an advantage over Axar. However, another aspect that tips the scales even more in favor of Kuldeep is his improvement in batting.
Kuldeep has stepped up with the bat in recent times, and poetically, it was against Bangladesh in 2022 that he showed first glimpses of it. After recording only 54 runs in his first eight innings, he scored a crucial 40-run knock, playing out 114 deliveries. He surpassed that knock impact-wise, when he hung around for 131 deliveries to score 28 runs in a match-saving act in the fourth Test against England in Ranchi.
#2 Versatility
Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel are versatile in their own right. Kuldeep adds another dimension to spin unit with his wrist spin, coupled with the fact that he is a genuine turner of the ball with variation. Although India already have a left-arm spinner in Ravindra Jadeja, the traits that Axar Patel brings with his tall frame and the subtle use of angles make him a completely different bowler. Him being a finger spinner also offers a lot more control and consistency.
Despite both bowlers offering a lot, the management might be tempted to continue with Kuldeep Yadav. His ability to turn the ball both ways might come in handy compared to Axar Patel's discipline when it comes to bowling in tight areas.
Their record in home conditions and against Bangladesh are excellent, which makes it irrelevant when it comes to creating a comparison between them. Although both are more than capable of performing the role of third spinner, it comes down to the balance and the need of the team rather than their accolades or ability.
#3 Kuldeep's ability to extract turn off almost all surfaces
With a sporting pitch instead of a rank turner expected, Axar Patel's threat might be negated. The left-arm spinner is not known for being a genuine turner of the ball, instead, he gets the ball to skid, and trick the batter with a delivery that comes in along with the arm. He is potent on rank turners though, getting the ball to turn sharply and making an impact with the bounce as well.
However, on regulation surfaces, he might be easier to fend off, since the batters can rule out the balls that might turn viciously.
Kuldeep, being a wrist spinner, offers variation by getting the ball to turn both ways and leaving them always guessing. When it comes to the ability to turn the ball, Kuldeep fares much better than Axar, particularly on pitches that are not rank turners. It is easy for even part-time spinners to make an impact on a bonafide dust bowl, but you need pure skill from frontline spinners to get the ball to do something off the pitch on other pitches.
Considering all aspects, the logic and the odds favor Kuldeep Yadav to feature as the third spinner, with Axar's omission being a tough one to execute.