Harbhajan Singh has backed Kuldeep Yadav saying that he will be a different bowler if he gets some early wickets after the left-arm spinner was selected for the West Indies series. Harbhajan also mentioned that it might take some time for him to regain rhythm as he hasn’t played for a long time.
BCCI announced a 18-member squad for the limited overs series against West Indies next month. Rohit Sharma will lead the squad as he has recovered from the hamstring injury and is fully fit now. The squad also includes some of the fresh faces like Avesh Khan and Ravi Bishnoi.
Kuldeep Yadav was sidelined from the national squad due to a knee injury but is now set to make a return with the West Indies series. Kuldeep has earned a recall to the national side due to the ineffectiveness of the Indian spinners in the recent ODI series against South Africa. They were unable to take wickets in the middle overs and that hurt India’s chances of a victory.
Reflecting on Kuldeep’s inclusion, former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh has opined that he will be a different bowler if he gets a couple of early wickets.
“Let me make it clear. If he gets a couple of early wickets, he will be a different bowler but things may not go as per plan. It might take some time for him to get back the rhythm,” Harbhajan said to PTI.
“My only suggestion would be that stick with him since you have shown conviction based on his past performances and give him enough time and confidence. He is a man who can deliver the goods for India.”
Kuldeep hasn’t played competitive cricket for a long time. Even while he was playing before the injury he was struggling with his form. Harbhajan opined that it will be a tough road for him to make a international comeback without playing any domestic matches.
“It will be a very tough road ahead for Kuldeep. He hasn’t had any proper domestic games under his belt and it’s not easy to make an international comeback just like that,” he concluded.
“He wasn’t playing regularly before surgery and when you are making a comeback in white ball, the first thing that’s at the back of your mind is ‘I don’t want to get hit’. So it’s like striking a balance as you are naturally dealing with a lot of insecurities. It’s a test of mental fortitude.”
