IND vs SL: Devdutt Padikkal, Shubman Gill and the trailer of a blockbuster
Devdutt Padikkal scored his second Test hundred, but it was his 120-run stand with India captain Shubman Gill that offered a trailer of a potential blockbuster in the making. India's No. 3 and No. 4 have only had three century partnerships since 2019, and this third instance in Colombo today is certainly not going to be the first and last involving the left-right pair.
Kuldeep Yadav recently bowled 25 overs in the first Test at Galle against Sri Lanka. Shubman Gill, however, was hesitant to rely on the left-arm wrist spinner as often as Manav Suthar or Ravindra Jadeja. Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif expressed his belief that Gill should have more faith in Kuldeep Yadav, pointing out that it's rare to have such a unique bowler come along.
Kaif emphasized the importance of giving Kuldeep longer spells, as short spells do not facilitate the rectification of mistakes and allow the bowler to find his rhythm. Gill's reluctance to give Kuldeep longer spells, according to Kaif, was a hindrance to the spinner's performance.
Kaif also stated his agreement with Ravi Shastri's assessment that Kuldeep Yadav is India's top spinner in overseas Test matches. He believes Kuldeep will be instrumental in finding wickets on flat pitches or those with limited turn. Kaif also suggested that India might consider using Saransh Jain in upcoming matches against Sri Lanka, due to the left-handed batting lineup in Colombo.
Written by urgent.news from The Indian Express's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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- Shubman Gill doesn’t have enough faith in Kuldeep Yadav: Mohammad Kaif indianexpress.com
