"He will be made to sit out once Yuzi is available" - Aakash Chopra lauds Kuldeep Yadav's spell in 2nd IND vs SL ODI

Aakash Chopra has lauded Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav for making the best of the opportunities he is getting. He also highlighted, however, that the left-arm wrist-spinner might have to sit out once Yuzvendra Chahal is fit and available.

Kuldeep Yadav registered figures of 3/51 as India bowled Sri Lanka out for 215 in the second ODI in Kolkata on Thursday, January 12. The Men in Blue then chased down the slightly below-par target with four wickets and 40 deliveries to spare to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

While reviewing the game in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra heaped praise on Kuldeep, saying:

"Kuldeep Yadav has a simple funda, he will become the Man of the Match if you give him a chance to play.

"He was the Player of the Match in the first match in Bangladesh and didn't play the second match. Here also he has become the Player of the Match and might not play the next match. He will be made to sit out once Yuzi is available."

Chopra highlighted that Dasun Shanaka was among the Uttar Pradesh spinner's victims, with the Sri Lankan skipper having proved to be India's nemesis in the last few games, observing:

"He is absolutely stellar. Kuldeep Yadav - what a bowler, wickets right from the start. He picked up three wickets and when he dismissed Dasun Shanaka, he might have been telling the others that they were unable to get him out and he dismissed him in a jiffy."

With 12 wickets in his last 6 matches - 10-0-38-2
8-0-39-1
9-0-49-1
4-1-18-4
10-1-53-1 and
10-0-51-3 today ,
Kuldeep Yadav should not be dropped in the name of combination. Needs as much game time as possible before the world cup. https://t.co/fatZcx26k5

Kuldeep first caught Kusal Mendis plumb in front of the wickets to break a 73-run second-wicket partnership. He then castled Shanaka before taking a return catch to dismiss Charith Asalanka.

"As soon as the new ball comes he will pick up wickets in the powerplay" - Aakash Chopra on Mohammad Siraj

Mohammed Siraj gave India the first breakthrough in the second ODI against Sri Lanka. [P/C: BCCI]

Aakash Chopra also lauded Mohammed Siraj, who finished with figures of 3/30 in the second ODI, for making the new ball count, elaborating:

"Mohammed Siraj has undertaken that as soon as the new ball comes he will pick up wickets in the powerplay. He hit Avishka Fernando's stumps with an incoming delivery on an extremely flat pitch."

The former Indian opener also had words of praise for Umran Malik (2/48), stating:

"Mohammed Siraj picked up three wickets and Umran Malik picked up two. Umran Malik - when you see the tail, you give the ball to him saying he will scare them and get one or two out. When wickets are not falling in the middle overs, you feel he will get them out.

"He is that kind of a bowler, he has already got that reputation."

Chopra concluded by saying that it was a complete bowling performance by India. He added that Mohammad Shami bowled well too and was slightly unlucky not to be amongst the wickets.