"Should have been a part of the T20 World Cup" - Wasim Jaffer on Kuldeep Yadav after the spinner's superlative show in IND vs BAN 1st Test

Former opener Wasim Jaffer has stated that India erred by not picking left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav for the T20 World Cup 2022 earlier this year.

Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Jaffer showered praise on Kuldeep for his impactful bowling exploits on Day 2 of the ongoing first Test between India and Bangladesh on Thursday. He backed the crafty spinner to retain his place in the side for India's upcoming four-match home Test series against Australia.

Jaffer explained:

"It's very exciting to see Kuldeep Yadav bowl in this fashion. I had said earlier too that he should have been a part of the T20 World Cup as well. It was unfortunate not to see him play. The way he bowled in the IPL, I was really surprised that he was not a part of the squad. He will play a major role in the upcoming series against Australia."

Jaffer credited Kuldeep's stint with the Delhi Capitals (DC) in this year's Indian Premier League (IPL) for his new-found confidence. He mentioned that the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) benched him consistently for two years, which affected the 28-year-old's morale significantly.

He added:

"Kuldeep Yadav brings variety to India's bowling attack. He had great control in the IPL, bowling with a big heart against top batters. He got a lot of confidence from that, given that he had to sit on the bench the previous two seasons.

"He has had a lot more opportunities since coming to the Delhi Capitals, and you can see that confidence coming back. He needs to be a part of the attack, especially in Indian conditions."

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Notably, Kuldeep's career got a new lease of life with DC. The wrist-spinner showcased tremendous form in the latest edition of the cash-rich league, emerging as the leading wicket-taker for his franchise with 21 scalps in 14 outings.

Playing in his first Test in over 22 months, Kuldeep came up with an inspired show with both bat and ball against Bangladesh, scoring 40 runs and picking up four important wickets.

"He worked hard in the nets when he was at the NCA" - Wasim Jaffer on Kuldeep Yadav's batting

Wasim Jaffer went on to say that Kuldeep Yadav utilized his time at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in June this year to work on his batting.

He noted that as he wasn't allowed to bowl much in the nets due to a hand injury, he chose to focus on his batting during the period. Highlighting Kuldeep's defensive technique, Jaffer stated that the lower-order batter doesn't tend to throw away his wicket quickly while trying to slog.

The cricketer-turned-coach added:

"I have seen him bat. You can see that he has got the basics covered. He can defend and play properly and is not someone who gives you his wicket easily. He worked hard in the nets when he was at the NCA, as he could not bowl much because of an injury. It always helps the team a lot when the tailenders contribute with the bat."

That's Stumps on Day 2 of the first #BANvIND Test!

A dominating show with the ball by #TeamIndia! 👍👍

4⃣ wickets for @imkuldeep18
3⃣ wickets for @mdsirajofficial
1⃣ wicket for @y_umesh

Scorecard ▶️ bit.ly/BANvIND-1STTEST https://t.co/SkqzNIqlSj

Kuldeep Yadav was instrumental in India gaining the upper hand on the second day of the ongoing Test. Bangladesh are 133/8 at stumps and are still 271 runs behind the KL Rahul-led side's total of 404.