Kuldeep Yadav is yet to play a Test away from home in nearly four years, with his last overseas Test coming against Bangladesh at Chittagong in December 2022.
Key Points
- India are set to include three specialist spinners in the playing XI away from home for the first time since December 2022.
- Kuldeep has featured in just four overseas Tests since his debut in 2017.
- Kuldeep has played only one Test in Sri Lanka so far, in Pallekele in 2017.
India are all set to include three spinners in the playing XI for the first Test against Sri Lanka, starting at Galle on Saturday -- a rare trend for them in an away Test.
Bowling Coach Morne Morkel hinted on Thursday that India could field three left-arm spinners in Galle in Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar and Ravindra Jadeja.
This will be the first time after nearly four years that India will be fielding three specialist spinners in the playing XI away from home.
When India Last Played 3 Spinners In An Away Test
The last time it happened was against Bangladesh in the first Test at Chittagong in December 2022 -- when India included Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav in the playing XI. Incidentally, that was the last time Kuldeep featured for India in an overseas Test.
India's batters dominated the Chittagong Test, piling up 404 in the first innings courtesy of Cheteshwar Pujara's 90 and Shreyas Iyer's 86.
Kuldeep, back in the Test team, wove his magic with the ball, taking career-best figure of 5/40 to bowl out Bangladesh for 150. Opting not to enforce the follow-on, India then amassed 258/4 declared in the second innings as Pujara stroked a fluent 102 not out and K L Rahul made 110.
Chasing 513 for victory, Bangladesh came up with a good fight before being bowled out for 324 to lose by 188 runs.
Kuldeep once again did the damage with the ball with 3/73, while Axar was the most successful bowler with 4/77.
But as has been the case with Kuldeep throughout his career, he was dropped for the next game as India brought in an extra pacer in Jaydev Unadkat.
Kuldeep's home and away record in Tests:
| VENUE | Mat | Wkts | 5 Wicket in an inns | 10 wickets in a match | Best | Avg | S/R | E/R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 14 | 61 | 3 | 0 | 5/57 | 23.18 | 38.67 | 3.60 |
| Away | 4 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 5/40 | 19.56 | 35.61 | 3.29 |
| TOTAL | 18 | 79 | 5 | 0 | 5/40 | 22.35 | 37.97 | 3.53 |
Kuldeep's year by year record in Tests:
| YEAR | Mat | Wkts | 5 Wicket in an inns | 10 wickets in a match | Best | Avg | S/R | E/R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 4/40 | 20.78 | 38.67 | 3.22 |
| 2018 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 5/57 | 29.30 | 45.00 | 3.91 |
| 2019 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 5/99 | 19.80 | 38.20 | 3.11 |
| 2021 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2/25 | 20.50 | 37.00 | 3.32 |
| 2022 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 5/40 | 14.13 | 27.00 | 3.14 |
| 2024 | 5 | 22 | 1 | 0 | 5/72 | 23.09 | 37.00 | 3.74 |
| 2025 | 4 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 5/82 | 23.15 | 40.00 | 3.47 |
| 2026 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3/30 | 20.67 | 35.67 | 3.48 |
| TOTAL | 18 | 79 | 5 | 0 | 5/40 | 22.35 | 37.97 | 3.53 |
Believe it or not, since that Test match in Chittagong Kuldeep is yet to play a Test away from home in nearly four years.
Overall, Kuldeep has only played 10 Tests since that match -- all of them coming at home.
His next Test came 14 months later -- against England in Visakhapatnam in February 2024. He enjoyed the rare backing of the team management during the England series, featuring in four of the five Tests in which he claimed eight wickets at an average of 20.15.
He didn't find a place in the next home series against Bangladesh in September 2024 with Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja featuring in both Tests.
Kuldeep Exclusion Baffles Fans
However, many were left puzzled when Kuldeep featured in just one match in the home series against New Zealand played on ranked turners, in which India suffered a 3-0 whitewash.
He took 3/99 in the first innings but the eight-wicket defeat saw India change their tactics with spin all-rounder Washington Sundar replacing Kuldeep in a three-man spin attack for India in the next two Tests. But it made little difference as New Zealand romped to victory in both as India's batters struggled against the Kiwi spinners on turning pitches.
Kuldeep's next Test series came against West Indies at home in October last year when he finished as the highest wicket-taker in the series with 12 wickets from two matches.
The home series against South Africa in November saw India again dish out turning pitches. But once again the gamble backfired as India's batting line-up crumbled against the South African spinners to suffer a 2-0 whitewash. Kuldeep finished with eight wickets in the series at an average of 28.63.
In India's last Test match -- against Afghanistan in June this year, Kuldeep was comprehensively outshone by debutant left-arm spinner Manav Suthar, who made a dream debut with 6/33 in the first innings.
With Sri Lanka expected to dish out spin-friendly pitches in the two-match series, India will be looking towards Kuldeep, who has played just four overseas Tests, to bring his wicket-taking ability to the fore.
'Look At Kuldeep Solely As A Spinner'
It's been nine years since Kuldeep last played his only Test in Sri Lanka, in the Pallekele Test in 2017 when he partnered Ravichandran Ashwin in a two-man spin attack. Both spinners picked a four-wicket haul in each innings to bowl India a thumping victory by an innings and 171 runs.
Former India spinner Murali Kartik believes Kuldeep didn't receive backing from the team management during the Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid era but is getting more game time under Gautam Gambhir, having featured in six Tests in the last two years under him.
'Kuldeep has been a match-winner for India but unfortunately for him it played out differently when he had Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid and now he's not got that kind of a run in,' he said.
Kartik wants the team management to look at Kuldeep purely as a match-winner and not worry about his contributions with the bat.
'Look at him solely as a spin bowler, and he's a wonderful bowler, a match-winner who's picked wickets in different countries,' Kartik added.
Having featured in just 18 Tests in nine years since his debut in 2017, Kuldeep, who turns 32 in December, will look towards the Sri Lanka series as his big opportunity to finally seal his place as India's No. 1 spinner in Tests.
