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.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)