IND vs SA: It Is Time For India To Go Back To Kuldeep Yadav, Asserts Sanjay Manjrekar

Cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar wants Indian team management to bring left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav back into white-ball cricket plans.

After a thumping win by 31 runs in the first ODI, South Africa defeated India by seven wickets in the second match to seal the three-match ODI series with an unassailable lead of 2-0.

South Africa won the ODI series with a 2-0 lead against India

Rishabh Pant’s 85 from 71 balls and an unbeaten 48-run stand between Shardul Thakur (40*) and Ravichandran Ashwin (25*) helped India post a monumental score of 287/6 in the first innings.

But the Indian bowlers failed to hold the opponents batters as Proteas openers Quinton de Kock (78) and Janneman Malan (91) put up a dignified partnership of 132 runs.

After the openers were sent back to the dugout, South Africa’s middle-order comprised of skipper Temba Bavuma (35), Aiden Markram (37) and Rassie van der Dussen (37) ensured the hosts romped home with a seven-wicket win in 48.1 overs.

Kuldeep Yadav has the record of running through sides: Sanjay Manjrekar

The new spin pair of Yuzvendra Chahal and Ashwin gave 115 runs between them in 20 overs they bowled and returned with just one wicket in the second ODI, the latter conceded 68 runs.

Manjrekar feels that this current spin pair won’t be much effective for the Indian team in the middle overs. Manjrekar also thinks Kuldeep, who played his last ODI match against Sri Lanka in July 2021, should be considered instead of Ashwin.

“See Ashwin, I have been maintaining right from the start of the series that he has sneaked back into India’s white-ball plans for no reason. It is not that he has made a strong claim for a comeback, but somehow the thinking has changed and he has come back into the plans. Hopefully now, India will realize that he is not an impact spinner that India needs,” Sanjay Manjrekar told ESPNCricinfo.

“India need to go back to those times where they used to get wickets in the middle overs. So this spin attack that India has is not their best and Ashwin has a long-standing track record of that but Chahal who has been a successful Indian white-ball spinner but you see that his powers may be waning.

“This spin attack is not the ideal one for India on a long-term basis. It is time for India to go back to Kuldeep Yadav and he has the record of running through sides. Kuldeep will come back into reckoning,” he added.

South Africa and India will move from Paarl to Cape Town to play the final ODI match of the series at the Newlands on Sunday (January 23). India will hope to avoid the white-wash by ending their tour with a victory.

Also Read: IND vs SA: If India Wants To Win ODIs, Tournaments, And World Cups, They Need Wicket-Taking Bowlers In The Middle-Overs – Harbhajan Singh