Former Indian batter Mohammad Kaif has urged the team management to back Kuldeep Yadav for the fifth T20I against the West Indies. The visitors registered a 24-run win against India at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad, on Wednesday to level the series 2-2.
In the first two games of the series, Kuldeep returned with three wickets at an average of 28.67, but the wrist spinner conceded his runs at an economy rate of 10.75. Kuldeep returned with expensive figures of 1-53 in his quota of four overs in the second game of the series and could not find a place in the third and fourth match.
Kaif highlighted that Kuldeep is not backed by the team if he gets hit in one game.
“There should be no talk of 200 or 250 in the team meeting. When such an atmosphere is created, the talk often becomes, ‘Let’s just not concede 250, let’s try to get them around 200 and we will chase it down’. If a bowler sets out with this mindset, that they have to restrict the opposition to under 200, then they bowl defensively. That means you are bowling just to save yourself. Then the wicket-taking mindset will not be there,” Kaif said on Cricbuzz.
The former UP batter reckons Kuldeep can help India restrict the West Indies batting.
“But if you play an extra bowler, the thinking can be to restrict them under even 180. Play Kuldeep Yadav. You have a bowler like him sitting in the dug out. Sometimes he plays, then in one match he gets hit, and then he is dropped again. We are still figuring out our best playing XI. So, I think Kuldeep should definitely be there. Thinking that we can chase down 250 is a massive risk,” he added.
West Indies posted a par score of 247 runs on the board in the penultimate game, with Shai Hope scoring another century.
The fifth and final match of the series between India and the West Indies will be played at M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, on Saturday.
