BAN vs IND 2022-23, 2nd Test: Umesh Yadav states Kuldeep's exclusion is 'management's call'
Last match hero Kuldeep Yadav's exclusion from the Indian playing eleven for the ongoing second Test against Bangladesh may have surprised many.
FollowMany people were startled by the decision to leave last night's hero Kuldeep Yadav out of India's starting lineup for the second Test match against Bangladesh, but experienced bowler Umesh Yadav explained on Thursday that it was a "management call," something every cricketer has to deal with.
Kuldeep, a left-arm wrist spinner who returned with a match-high eight wickets in addition to contributing a crucial 40 runs in the visiting team's first innings, was named player of the match in India's 188-run victory against Bangladesh in the first Test.
To everyone's surprise, Kuldeep was overlooked for the second and final Test in Mirpur as the team led by Rahul Dravid elected to play Jaydev Unadkat as a third bowler.
"It's part of your journey. It happened to me also. Sometimes you are out of the team because of performance and sometimes it's a management's call. You have to go with the team's requirements," Umesh told reporters after the end of first day's play.
"It's good for him (Kuldeep) that he came back and performed well (in the first Test in Chattogram)."
Umesh returned with figures of 15-4-25-4, leading the pace attack in the absence of Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah. Veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin also claimed four wickets (21.5-3-71-4), helping to dismiss Bangladesh for a meagre 227.
India's reply score at day's end was 19 for no loss. Unadkat, a left-arm bowler making his Test debut after more than a decade, proved his value by ejecting last match centurion Zakir Hasan with a delivery that came back into the southpaw.
"When he (Unadkat) made his debut, I was with him in South Africa. So, I'm very happy for him that he finally got his chance. He has performed well in the domestic season," said Umesh.Â
"When he came into bowl with the new ball, the ball was doing a bit, many balls took the nick of batter's gloves," he said of Unadkat, who returned with day's figures of 2/50.Â
"We knew that Unadkat is used to bowl on these types of wickets and can swing it both ways. So he just had to keep bowling in the right areas and test the batters' patience."Â
It seemed to be an under-par total by the hosts but Umesh said they (Indian bowlers) have to keep bowling well. "In Tests, you can't just say a total. You have to keep bowling well. It's a good performance with the way the wicket is playing, odd ball turning, some keeping out. It was a good bowling show to keep them under 300."Â
Asked if the Indian bowlers had it easy against the Bangladeshi batters, he said: "No batting lineup is easy, you just can't come and get them out. Test cricket is the toughest format. You have to keep bowling and batting well. Test cricket is all about patience."
"It's a 50-50 kind of wicket. It's not fully for the pacers or the spinners. Some of the balls are doing something and some not doing. We have to be patient and bowl in the right areas. The odd ball is bouncing from the back of length," he said about the wicket.
(With inputs from PTI)
