Chakravarthy was a last-minute addition to the India squad for Champions Trophy with opener Yashasvi Jaiswal making way for the mystery spinner. Chakravarthy has got the opportunity following a stellar season in the T20 format. When asked about the spinner’s inclusion, Rohit said Chakravarthy was picked for a reason. “He doesn’t throw many variations in the net. He throws the ball in the same way. Maybe he doesn’t even want to show us what he has (laughs). But that is a good thing. He has got a certain weapon that he wants to put out there when it actually matters.

“I am more than happy if he wants to do that. But he has got something different which is why he is here with us. Whatever we have seen of him in the last 8-9 months, it has been very impressive.”

‘If Shami, Kuldeep are in form, team looks very good’

Both Mohammed Shami and Kuldeep Yadav have not played a lot of international cricket due to injuries. They are back in the side but are yet to hit their strides. In Bumrah’s absence, expectations have increased from Shami, who was the best bowler for India in the 2023 ODI World Cup.

“They both are fine when it comes to bowling fitness. Shami has played only two ODIs and obviously a couple of T20s as well.All we wanted with Shami was to get back wearing the Indian colours more than anything else.

“Whether he gets wickets or not, that was completely immaterial for us at that point. We wanted him to get back to playing for India and he has done that.

“Whatever I have seen of him so far, he looks absolutely fine. When you talk about a bowler like Shami who has done the job over the years so many times for us, for them it is just about getting back to their rhythm and hopefully we can find some rhythm early on in this tournament and help the team.” On Kuldeep, the skipper added: “Kuldeep, again very similar, was injured, had a hernia operation just after the New Zealand series and was out of action for two and a half months.

“For him also it was important to get back playing and get back into that rhythm. The two games that he played, the numbers will not show and with certain players you don’t have to look at numbers so much and in detail.

“For certain players it is just about getting back to playing.If these two guys are in form, the team looks very good.”

Middle-order batter Hanuma Vihari believes left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav has to be in the playing eleven for India’s second Test against Bangladesh at Green Park Stadium in Kanpur, citing the need to have variety in the spin-bowling department on a black-soil pitch. With 53 wickets in 12 Tests since his debut in 2017, Kuldeep didn’t play in India’s 280-run win over Bangladesh in the first Test at Chennai, as India preferred to have a combination of three pacers and two spinners. But the knowledge of conditions at his home ground makes him an essential bowler for India to have in their playing eleven.

“They will probably make a change – they might play an extra spinner instead of a fast bowler. I think Kuldeep has to play in the eleven because if you have all fingers spinners, I don’t think you’ll get much assistance from the pitch in Kanpur – it won’t deteriorate much as what we’ve seen in Chennai because black soil takes a lot of time to deteriorate.”

“It eventually gets better that’s what we’ve seen against New Zealand as well where they could draw the Test match against India in Kanpur. So I think they need variety and Kuldeep Yadav will come into the eleven, as it’s also his own ground as well.”

“He knows the conditions here best, so I think it’s a no-brainer – if the wicket doesn’t offer anything for the fast bowlers if there’s no grass on the pitch I think it’s a straightaway Kuldeep in for one of the fast bowlers,” said Vihari, an expert with JioCinema & Sports18, in a conversation with IANS on Thursday.

India have played 23 Tests in Kanpur, winning seven of them while drawing 17 games. With the venue having the reputation of being slow, low and batter-friendly black-soil pitch, Vihari reckons bowlers will be in for a stern examination in Kanpur.

“With the experience of me playing in Kanpur and watching games, I feel it will be a slow wicket as compared to Chennai. It will have less bounce than what we’ve seen in Chennai because there, they played on a red soil pitch which offered more bounce. But Kanpur pitch will test the bowlers.”

“They have to be really patient to get wickets and batters will have a good time in Kanpur compared to what it was in Chennai. So I think it’s about patience and whoever can keep at it for a longer period of time, we’ll have a good result. Obviously, India have good experience of playing in Kanpur, although it was a draw against New Zealand in 2021.”

India’s thumping win in Chennai was set up by a stupendous 199-run partnership between an elegant Ravichandran Ashwin and a rock-solid Ravindra Jadeja, who made 113 and 86 respectively. The duo also picked 11 wickets together to play a pivotal role in the hosts’ resounding victory at Chennai and consolidate their World Test Championship top spot.

It’s safe to say that Ashwin and Jadeja are the backbone of India becoming a formidable force to reckon with in Tests at home. “Ashwin and Jadeja make a huge difference to the Indian batting lineup, especially if you talk about the overall impact – what they created is second to none. They’re one and two in the best all-rounders in the world, but the impact they create with the bat is humongous.”

“In the first innings at Chennai, where India were in trouble at 144/6, Ashwin got a century and bailed out India in a difficult situation. Even Jadeja when we tour abroad has batted so well in the recent past. He’s almost been our best batter in the last couple of years so that’s the kind of impact they’ve been creating.”

“I think it’s experience and the confidence they gained by playing so many years of international cricket. There’s no substitute to experience and that’s what they’ve gained over the years. It’s been over a decade of them playing together – they understand each other even with the bat when they’re batting together. So, the confidence and experience they’ve gained over the years playing Test cricket is showing now,” elaborated Vihari, who played 16 Tests for India.

When the Kanpur Test begins, Ashwin will again be in the spotlight to put out another match-winning all-round performance for India. “His performance speaks a lot rather than me speaking because he’s been one of the greats for India – picking up 500 plus wickets and then scoring his sixth hundred in Test cricket – it’s commendable for the way he’s been.”

“He was working on his game while playing TNPL and got his batting form from there. We always knew about Ashwin the bowler, but I think his batting has also improved. It sounds funny, but he’s 38, and yet, still works on his batting. Plus, in the Test, not just the runs, but the way he got it – it’s his fastest Test 100 now – that shows that he’s worked on his game, stroke play and it was clearly evident with the way he was playing in Chennai,” concluded Vihari.

File image of Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah.© AFP

Former India cricketer Sarandeep Singh feels the “unplayable” spin combination of Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel will be too much for the South Africans to handle during the T20 World Cup final in Bridgetown, Barbados on Saturday. Wrist spinner Kuldeep has taken 10 wickets in four games with a best of 3/19, while Axar has grabbed eight from seven games with a best of 3/23. Both left-arm spinners are expected to play in the final. “If you ask me, who are the two players who will win it for India in the final, I will say Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel. They are outright match-winners in spin-friendly conditions,” Sarandeep told PTI Videos on Friday.

“We are having at the world’s best spinners at the moment. Look at the way Kuldeep and Axar came in, they are winning all the games. They are unplayable. Everyone is talking about Kuldeep. He is going to destroy the South African middle order.

“He has done it against Australia (in Super 8s) and England (in semifinals). Now it’s the turn of South Africa. Axar is also a very dangerous slow left-arm orthodox bowler. An outright match-winner. Indian spinners will win the final.” India and South Africa are coming into the final having not lost a single match in the World Cup. While South Africa won all their eight games, India were victorious in seven as the tie against Canada in Florida was washed out due to rain.

Sarandeep, who played three Tests and five ODIs, added that Axar and Kuldeep would be even more potent on the spin-friendly Bridgetown wicket.

“Axar starts getting wickets from the sixth over. It’s not easy for Axar to bowl in powerplay. He comes, bowls, and makes things easy for the rest of the bowlers. Kuldeep and Axar are complementing each other so well.

“The wickets in West Indies are not easy to play especially if you have world-class spinners like Kuldeep and Axar. It was not easy for England, it will not be easy for South Africa as well,” Sarandeep observed.

The former India off-spinner added that skipper Rohit Sharma was spot on in his assessment of Caribbeans conditions and opted for four spinners.

“Rohit opted for four spinners but (Yuzvendra) Chahal is not in the scheme of things. The reason is, others have done their job exceedingly well. (Ravindra) Jadeja is the senior-most player but he is not coming into powerplay. Axar knows how to bowl in these conditions. He is the best option for us to bowl into the powerplay. He is giving the results as well,” he added.

On whether South African spinners Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi could also trouble the Indian batters, Sarandeep said, “Yes they will. Keshav and Shamsi are also very good. Let’s see how Indian batsmen handle the spinners.

“India has a very strong middle order. India has left-handers like Rishabh Pant, Shivam Dube, Axar, and Jadeja. Four left-handers in the middle order. It will be interesting to see how Maharaj and Shamsi are going to tackle them. And vice-versa. This will be a big challenge for them also.” Sarandeep added that India has the best batting and bowling lineup in the world.

“Bumrah’s economy is 3.5 or 3.6. This is so unreal. Other bowlers go over 9 or 10. Even after eight games, his economy is 3.5. This is so unreal. What else can you ask from him? India is the favourites not only in batting but bowling as well.” The former cricketer played down Virat Kohli’s lack of form. Virat has scored only 76 runs in seven innings.

“Virat is waiting for the final to perform. He is a world-class player, no doubt. He is mentally very strong. He is a team man. He is playing for the team. And there is some plan given to him.

“Normally he opens only in the IPL. But here he had been given a clear-cut role. Virat is trying to hit from the first ball and trying to put more pressure on the bowlers. But somehow he is getting out quickly. But I am not worried about him. He is a big-match player. And that big game is coming. His big innings is coming against South Africa.”