Left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav is on the next flight back from Australia after being released from India’s T20I squad. The national selectors and team management want him bowling long spells before the two-match Test series against South Africa, which starts in Kolkata on 14 November.
“The team management requested Kuldeep’s release to allow him adequate red-ball preparation,” the BCCI said in a brief note on Sunday. Within hours, his name appeared in the India A squad for the second four-day fixture against South Africa A, beginning 6 November at the board’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
Kuldeep’s limited white-ball workload in Australia made the decision easier. He played one of the three ODIs and the first two T20Is, then sat out the third match in Hobart when Washington Sundar came in. With the fourth and fifth T20Is scheduled for Carrara (6 November) and Brisbane (8 November), the coaches felt the left-armer would be better served by red-ball practice than more time on the bench.
India A, led by Rishabh Pant, clinched the first four-day game on Sunday thanks to Pant’s brisk 90 in a 275-run chase. The second match presents Kuldeep with at least two innings of meaningful work on home soil, plus the chance to reacquaint himself with the SG ball before facing South Africa’s batting line-up.
Kuldeep’s return reduces India’s spin options in Australia, but captain Suryakumar Yadav still has Washington Sundar, Axar Patel and Varun Chakaravarthy for the final two T20Is.
India squad for last two T20Is in Australia
Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill (vc), Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Sanju Samson (wk), Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar.
India A squad for second four-day game v South Africa A
Rishabh Pant (capt & wk), KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Sai Sudharsan (vc), Devdutt Padikkal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian, Manav Suthar, Khaleel Ahmed, Gurnoor Brar, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Kuldeep Yadav.
The next week should tell whether the early exit pays off; India need Kuldeep’s control and variation if they are to start the home season strongly.
