"You didn't use Kuldeep Yadav as much as you should have" - RP Singh says Rohit Sharma overbowled Jadeja and Ashwin on Day 1 of 4th IND vs ENG Test
RP Singh reckons Rohit Sharma underutilised Kuldeep Yadav and overused Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin on the first day of the fourth Test between India and England in Ranchi on Friday, February 23.
Joe Root's unbeaten 106 off 226 helped England post 302-7 by Stumps. While Kuldeep was given only 10 overs on the day, Jadeja and Ashwin bowled 49 between them.
During a discussion on Colors Cineplex, RP Singh shared his thoughts on India's bowling performance:
"The bowlers put in a lot of effort. Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and both the fast bowlers put in a lot of effort. Siraj bowled better in his second spell than his first. The only thing I have a doubt about is that you didn't use Kuldeep Yadav as much as you should have.
"Jadeja and Ashwin were overbowled and Kuldeep couldn't bowl that much because of that, and this happens as well. When you have three spinners, and all three are wicket-takers, one of the bowlers is underbowled many times and that happened with Kuldeep here," the former India seamer added.
Kuldeep went wicketless but conceded only 21 runs in his 10 overs. Jadeja and Ashwin returned figures of 1-55 and 1-83 in 27 and 22 overs respectively.
"Kuldeep Yadav was 100% introduced late" - Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra too opined that Kuldeep Yadav was given the ball too late. He elaborated:
"It's right, you are spoilt for choices when you have five bowlers. You get confused at times when you go to a buffet. Kuldeep Yadav was 100% introduced late. He could have been bowled a little earlier."
However, the former India opener acknowledged that Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja were bound to be preferred over the left-arm wrist-spinner.
"However, when you stick with your fast bowlers from one end for a long time, it's a rotational policy at the other end.
"In that rotational policy, one has taken more than 500 wickets, and the other is the Player of the Match of the last game, so you go first towards them," Chopra stated.
Chopra noted that Kuldeep has been treated similarly earlier also and that it will continue to happen with him. He reasoned that the relatively inexperienced spinner is under the shadow of the far more experienced duo of Ashwin and Jadeja.