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Former India fast bowler Varun Aaron discussed the potential inclusion of Kuldeep Yadav in the playing XI for the upcoming match against Canada in the ongoing T20 World Cup. Aaron suggested that the presence of Hardik Pandya, who has been fulfilling the role of the third seamer effectively, could pave the way for a wrist-spinner like Yadav to be included.
India has secured their spot in the Super 8 stage of the T20 World Cup 2024, having won all three of their matches thus far, all played at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York, where fast bowlers have thrived.
Initially, it was anticipated that Kuldeep Yadav would feature prominently in the tournament, given his impressive form in the IPL. However, the conditions in New York favored pace bowlers, resulting in Yadav being left out in favor of a pace-heavy attack.
As India transitions to playing in Florida and subsequently the Caribbean for the Super 8 stage, the pitches are expected to be more conducive to spin bowling, potentially opening the door for Yadav’s inclusion.
Varun Aaron expressed his belief that Yadav could replace Mohammed Siraj in the lineup, highlighting the flexibility provided by Hardik Pandya’s presence in the team. Aaron shared his insights with ESPNCricinfo, underscoring the strategic considerations behind potentially including a spinner like Yadav in the team configuration.
“I think they might give Kuldeep a game. We’re talking about giving Sanju Samson a game as well. I think between the two, Kuldeep is more favourable to get a game because they would definitely need his services in the West Indies, especially with the way Hardik Pandya is bowling, he could easily slot in as a third seamer, giving India that extra option to play a spinner in this game as well.
“So we see Kuldeep coming in instead of Siraj, not Arshdeep because Arshdeep is bowling really well at the moment. Could there also be a case of resting Bumrah for this one and let both Arshdeep and Siraj play? I don’t think so, because Bumrah is in really good form and when you are in good form as a bowler and when you don’t have any niggles, you would just want to keep playing and that’s what we see in any big tournament.”
Varun Aaron says I don’t see Sanju Samson getting a look in
Varun Aaron further discussed the potential for Sanju Samson to make an appearance in the upcoming matches. He indicated that the talented wicketkeeper-batsman might not find an opportunity due to the current composition of the team, with limited vacancies. Aaron emphasized the need for the middle-order batsmen to receive adequate playing time, suggesting that this factor could influence the team’s selection decisions.
“I mean IPL is a great example. Some of the teams have easily qualified but they don’t take a rest, the big players don’t take a rest because they want to take that momentum into the important stage of the tournament. The other name you mentioned is Sanju Samson, do you expect him to get a look in and if so, who does he replace?
“I don’t see Sanju Samson getting a look in, that’s because who is he going to replace? A lot of the middle order hasn’t gotten enough game time, enough balls in the middle, so there’s definitely going to be no change in the batting order I would say because a lot of the batsmen, especially playing in New York with tricky conditions like that, must be dying to go out and have a decent knock on a better wicket.”
