Former India cricketer Abhinav Mukund has thrown his weight behind Kuldeep Yadav's inclusion in India's playing XI for the third and final ODI against England at Lord's. With the series level and Washington Sundar ruled out through injury, Mukund believes the left-arm wrist-spinner deserves an opportunity in the decisive clash.
Speaking ahead of the series decider, Abhinav Mukund questioned the Indian team management's handling of Kuldeep Yadav in recent years, saying they have not shown enough faith in the wrist-spinner despite his proven wicket-taking ability.
Key Points
Abhinav Mukund has backed Kuldeep for India's playing XI in the third ODI. He believes India should play seven batters and four specialist bowlers. Abhinav Mukund said the team management has not trusted Kuldeep enough in recent years. Washington Sundar has been ruled out of the Lord's ODI due to injury. Bowling coach Morne Morkel said "all options are on the table" before the final XI is decided.Abhinav Mukund made a strong case for Kuldeep's inclusion, arguing that India should look to play an attacking wrist-spinner rather than simply replacing Washington Sundar with another pace-bowling option.
The former batter said the Indian management has not placed enough trust in Kuldeep Yadav despite his ability to break partnerships and change the course of matches.
He also suggested India should continue with seven specialist batters and four frontline bowlers instead of relying heavily on all-rounders for bowling depth.
"I think you need to go with seven batters and you've got to pick four specialist bowlers. So, if you are going to pick four seamers, why not pick Prince Yadav? Why not play Arshdeep Singh? But my primary choice will be Kuldeep Yadav. The pitch is going to be a lot flatter, like what we have seen at Lord's. Three seamers more than enough, but you've got to pick an attacking spinner like Kuldeep Yadav to bowl those middle overs," he said during a discussion on Cricinfo.
"He is someone when he picks up one wicket, he ends up picking four. So, you need to trust Kuldeep Yadav. Unfortunately, the team management does not trust him enough. He has not played that many games in the last couple of years. If you are going to pick a team and you think that eight batters are going to do the trick... You have to trust seven batters to score runs," the former cricketer added.
Why Abhinav Mukund believes Kuldeep Yadav fits Lord's better than another seamer
Abhinav Mukund's recommendation is rooted as much in tactics as in personnel. While Lord's has traditionally offered assistance to fast bowlers with the new ball, ODI matches at the iconic venue have rarely been straightforward batting contests.
The average first-innings score at the ground is 226, while teams batting second average only 196. Pacers have claimed over 76% of the wickets in ODIs at the venue, but batting has often become progressively tougher as the surface slows down.
History also favours teams setting a target. Since 2017, no side has successfully chased a target in an ODI at Lord's without the match going to a Super Over. India's own record reflects the challenges of the venue; they have won only four of their nine ODIs at Lord's, with their last victory coming back in 2004.
Abhinav Mukund appears to believe these conditions make an attacking wrist-spinner more valuable than an additional fast bowler. While three seamers can exploit the new ball, Kuldeep Yadav's variations could become increasingly effective once the pitch starts gripping later in the innings.
India's selection puzzle emerged after Washington Sundar was ruled out of the third ODI because of injury. The BCCI has named Harsh Dubey as Sundar's replacement in the squad, but that does not automatically make the left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder a certainty for the playing XI.
Instead, Washington Sundar's absence has reopened the discussion over India's preferred bowling combination.
Kuldeep Yadav has immediately re-entered the conversation because he offers a specialist spin option, while Harsh Dubey provides an all-round alternative. India could also opt for another pace-heavy attack depending on conditions at Lord's.
What Morne Morkel said about India's final XI
India bowling coach Morne Morkel kept his cards close to his chest when asked about Washington Sundar's replacement.
Rather than indicating whether Kuldeep Yadav was in line for a recall, Morkel stressed that no final decision had been taken. He said:
"I am pretty sure Gautam (Gambhir) will have a look at the surface, and they probably will announce 12 or 13 guys and then tomorrow make the final call in terms of what we see then."
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