Kuldeep Yadav is a Special Talent Feels Bishan Singh Bedi

There was a time when former Indian skipper Bishen Singh Bedi was regarded as the best left-arm spinner in the world. His bowling was full of guile and variations. However, in the recent times, the future of cricket has turned pretty ugly. With the introduction of shorter formats of the game, the art f spin bowling has diminished quite a bit. However, Bedi who played 67 Tests for India between 1967 to 1979 feels that India’s tour of England will go a long way in ensuring that Test cricket always survives. Even if it is for the time being.

Bedi has a simple philosophy 

“My philosophy is simple,” was quoted as sayin by the Independent. “I hope for the best but I’m also prepared for the worst. I hope and wish that Test cricket doesn’t die while I’m still alive. It must flourish, it has to flourish to keep cricket alive. What are we looking for? The game of cricket must not lose out on its character.

“Can you imagine any other sport doing what cricket has done? People don’t have time to play golf so they cut it down from 18 holes to three holes. It wouldn’t happen. It wouldn’t happen in football either. Or any other sport.

“The basic character of cricket is that it’s played leisurely over five days – not bloody 20 overs or 100 balls, which is even more ridiculous. We need England and India to remind the world just why Test cricket is so special.”  England has the driest summer since 1961. It means that England has to ensure that the time is maximised in between.

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Ashwin and Kuldeep will be the trump cards for India 

Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav will be the two big spinners for India. The offie will definitely look to make his mark in English conditions. He will be confident of performing well here especially after a stint in the County Championship. Kuldeep was quite exceptional in the limited overs format. He bagged two five-wicket hauls during the course of 6 matches. England had trouble picking him. However, by the final ODI, it looked that they might have got a measure of Kuldeep.

Bedi stated that Kuldeep has been a revelation. However, e feels that a player of Kuldeep’s calibre must be kept fresh for the longest format of the game. He felt that Root might have found him out by the end of the ODI series.

“He has been quite a revelation – I’ve enjoyed watching him,” says Bedi. “A few of the batsmen, particularly Joe Root, looked as though they had found him out by the end of the one-day series.

Bedi says that it is important to preserve Kuldeep for the longest format 

“But my contention has always been that we have to preserve this kid (Yadav). He has to preserved for the longest form of the game. I’m not very enthused by him in T20 and one-day cricket – he has done well, but he must be preserved for the longest version, which is Test cricket.

“He enjoys his craft and he’s able to transport the fun and enjoyment that he shows to the spectators. That’s perhaps his valuable attribute. I like to think that he has come along at just the right time, not just for spin bowling in India but spin bowling everywhere.

“England has had a very beautiful dry summer so far and although that must surely be due to change, all the Indians will hope that it stays like it has been. But you can’t trust the English weather. If the clouds come and the rain arrives then the Indian’s will have to dig a little bit deeper.”

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The first ever chinaman bowler to emerge from India 

Kuldeep is the first ever chinaman bowler to come from India. The English batsmen haven’t faced too much of left arm leg spin un the past. The likes of Bairstow, Buttler have all given away their wickets e Kuldeep. However, the red ball cricket will be a whole new challenge. It will be interesting to see whether he can replicate his form in the Test format.

“Kuldeep is different, he’s a very, very special variety of spinner – the sort we don’t see very often,” says Bedi. “The last one we saw do it really well was Sir Garfield Sobers and he wasn’t too sure about it either. He would end up as an orthodox spinner or a left-arm quick, which shows you not just what an amazing talent he was but also just how hard it is to bowl.”