Tests against SL crucial for WTC final aspirations, identifying future spin bowling leaders, says Kartik

New Delhi, Aug 12 (IANS) Former India left-arm spinner Murali Kartik believes the upcoming Test series in Sri Lanka starting on Saturday will be crucial in establishing India’s next generation of spin bowlers, as veteran left-arm spin bowling all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja approaches the twilight of his international career.

With the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ravichandran Ashwin retired, India’s red-ball squad is navigating a major transition. Though Jadeja is still around, India’s quest to reach the WTC final will also hinge on how the likes of Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar and newbie Saransh Jain fare in Galle and Colombo.

“Firstly, it is a crucial tour, very important from the point of view of not just the spinners alone – also the WTC because if we are serious about Test cricket. At number five, our fortunes haven’t been great in red ball cricket of late, which is well-documented and everyone knows it.

“From a spin point of view, yes, absolutely important because Ravindra Jadeja, as good as he has been for Indian cricket, he is in his, -in a sense, I would say, the twilight years –of his career. From that point of view, Manav Suthar, the way he came in and bowled against Afghanistan was very heart-warming for any old-school spinner who has or knows Indian cricket, it was very important,” Kartik told IANS in an interaction facilitated by Sony Sports Network on Wednesday.

He further highlighted the pressing question surrounding Kuldeep’s role as India seek a spin-bowling leader once Jadeja steps away. Kuldeep finds himself in a precarious situation – having spent years as an understudy to Ashwin and Jadeja, the left-arm wrist-spinner has been kept out by team combinations and injuries.

It’s evident from Test appearances standing at just 18 since his debut in 2017. Even after Ashwin’s retirement, Kuldeep has played only five Tests and claimed one five-wicket haul, with Washington Sundar frequently preferred ahead of him. Now, Kuldeep faces fresh competition from young Suthar, who took a seven-wicket haul in the one-off game against Afghanistan in June.

“Look, Kuldeep Yadav has been a match-winner for India. But, unfortunately for him, it played out differently when he had Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid at the helm. Now, he has not got that kind of a run-in. When you think of what happened in England, everybody kept saying during the course of those five Test matches, ‘Where is Kuldeep? Where is Kuldeep?’ And Kuldeep didn’t play – he was sitting out.

“So, it’s very important from that point of view as now that Ravindra Jadeja is in the twilight of his career, is he the leader? Or is it going to be someone else? Because it is, as you rightly said, very, very difficult. So, to get that in and also, as you pointed out, the spinners – look at the number of wickets those two guys have taken.

“After the likes of Anil and Harbhajan, Ashwin and Jadeja, depending on what the team management wanted, one of them was always playing. Those are very, very big shoes to fill. So, can Kuldeep Yadav be the leader? I think we will find out during the course of this series because it’s very important,” he explained.

Kuldeep looked a little far from his best self against Afghanistan and lack of game time meant he turned out for Yorkshire in the one-day cup. Although Kuldeep showed encouraging signs in India’s warm-up game win in Colombo, questions remain over whether the starting eleven opportunity will open up for him in Galle.

Addressing the mental strain on specialist spinners like Kuldeep who face sporadic game time varied reasons, Kartik stressed on the need of proper man-management over batting ability. “Look, I don’t think he is not a rabbit with the bat. He is somebody who can definitely hold the bat and we have seen him bat as a night watchman. He has occupied the crease for long periods of time. Maybe he doesn’t have the hitting ability or that kind of ability which you get from Ravindra Jadeja and Ashwin.

“So, I wouldn’t look at him from that point of view. You have to look at him solely as a spin bowler and he is a wonderful bowler. He is a match winner. We have seen him pick wickets in different countries. That is the hallmark of a good spinner. The key is that he needs to be handled well. We have seen Kuldeep Yadav have his share of injuries. He has come from a groin injury and tried to make his way back.

“Again, every time we talk about him playing, he has not featured. So, you want a bit of consistency for Kuldeep Yadav. As a bowler and as a spinner, you want to know that you are going to be a certainty, then you work very differently. When you are treated like you are the match winner, then that’s the kind of stuff which you get from a bowler like that.

“It’s about making any bowler, any player feel wanted and that’s what I have always believed. You can get the best out of him. It’s again human resources handling. Even for a player, it might be cricket, but it’s still emotions. Humans are involved and you want to make them feel good. I just hope that if you handle Kuldeep Yadav really well, you are going to get the best out of him,” he explained.

Analysing the Sri Lankan line-up, Kartik warned the hosts could target India’s batters, especially with left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya in prime form. “Look, Prabath Jayasuriya is a pretty good bowler. I think he has been one of their better bowlers off late. Having seen India bat against spin off late, every team might want to attack India. Can you think of an Indian team being attacked by spin?

“Nobody would have thought like that. But again, given the conditions too, if it’s going to be pretty warm, you’re not going to get huge spells or long spells from fast bowlers. And it will be interesting to see because the two venues are Galle and SSC, Colombo. So, SSC the last time around spun a bit more than the other place where Wriddhiman Saha kept brilliantly when India went.”

“So, for me, from that point of view, having seen the kind of spinners that they have picked or the volume of spinners that they have picked, yes, they are planning to do more of the same against India. India has also tried to prepare well. Just think of the number of spinners that they have taken from here.

“They’ve had a lot of reserve spinners in the touring party, helping the team out, and playing against them would be of immense help. I know match time is very different from nets time. But still, what you can do from your end is prepare well. So, I’m hoping that they’re better prepared come these two Test matches,” he concluded.

–IANS

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