IND vs WI: Kuldeep Yadav Opens Up On Competing With Yuzvendra Chahal As India Decide Against Playing Them Together

The Indian team management, on Thursday (July 27), sprung a big surprise by not including Yuzvendra Chahal in the playing eleven for the first ODI against West Indies.

Yuzvendra Chahal is seen by many as a key player for the upcoming ICC World Cup 2023. And with almost every ODI leading to the World Cup giving the team the opportunity to prepare for the marquee event, Chahal’s exclusion from the team raised a number of eyebrows.

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The decision has not only made it clear that Chahal still does not have a guaranteed spot in the team, it has also shown that the team is likely to pick one between him and Kuldeep Yadav in the playing eleven. On Thursday, Kuldeep Yadav got the nod and he made the most of the opportunity.

The left-arm spinner was India’s best performer with the ball. He conceded just six runs in his three overs and picked up four wickets to help India bowl out West Indies for just 114 runs. Apart from him, Ravindra Jadeja also impressed with the ball by taking three wickets.

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Kuldeep Yadav on competing with Yuzvendra Chahal:

After the first ODI, Kuldeep Yadav spoke about competing with Yuzvendra Chahal for a place in India’s playing eleven. Since the 2019 World Cup, India have hardly played both of them together. Since the defeat against New Zealand in the semifinal, Kuldeep Yadav and Chahal have played only three ODIs together.

“We (Kuldeep and Chahal) both know the importance of combination. We have a great understanding. He helps me a lot when I’m playing – what to do, what to change. I replicate the same when he plays. That’s why the KulCha pair has been so good over the years. We support and back each other,” said Kuldeep Yadav on his competition with Chahal.

Meanwhile, India beat West Indies by five wickets to take the lead in the series. The second match is scheduled to be played on Saturday (July 29) in Barbados.

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