Very difficult to leave out Kuldeep: Doeschate

For Kuldeep Yadav, the delight of claiming his fifth five-wicket haul in just his 15th Test may have been tempered a touch by proceedings in the final session of day three at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. With John Campbell and Shai Hope, who added a record 365 runs for the opening wicket in an ODI against Ireland in 2019, showing defiance in an unbroken 138-run partnership in the second innings, West Indies went into stumps at 173 for two after Shubman Gill and Co. enforced the follow-on.

It shouldn’t take anything away, though, from Kuldeep’s opening spell on Sunday. It read 10-0-27-3, and was very much responsible for India claiming a 270-run first-innings lead to ensure it is still in the ascendancy on a characteristically slow surface. In assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate’s view, the 30-year-old’s “mystery” element, more so because of left-arm wrist-spinners belonging to a rare breed, is a special attribute.

Kuldeep didn’t play a single Test in England recently because of India’s insistence on batting depth. But ten Doeschate conceded that Kuldeep’s traits may force a rethink going forward. “It’s very difficult (to leave him out). He has shown here even on an unresponsive wicket… it makes you think what if he had played in Manchester or Leeds. He has done himself some favours looking forward. If we have to make the brave call where you want to win Tests, we maybe go for a batter light and play Kuldeep based on how he has bowled in these two Tests,” he said.