Kuldeep Yadav struggled in Galle, taking just one wicket from 25 overs
Sairaj Bahutule backed Kuldeep to remain in India’s plans for the second Test
The Indian spin-bowling coach said one poor outing should not define the wrist spinner
The conditions at the Galle International Stadium and the quick-softening Kookaburra ball did not favour Kuldeep’s art, making him the least effective of India’s spinners against the hosts. However, one poor outing is unlikely to impact his place in the team.
India’s spin-bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule on Friday asserted that the left-arm wrist spinner remains in the team management’s ‘scheme of things’ ahead of the second Test. Speaking to the media at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo, the coach said one mediocre outing will not define the bowler.
"All the spinners are struggling with the soft ball. But for finger spinners (left-arm or off-spinners), it becomes easier. For a leg-spinner, it is that much harder because of the softness of the ball, the seam just goes down.
"Finger spinners, you can manipulate the fingers and bowl with the speeds you want to bowl. It is a tough proposition for a (wrist) spinner.
"So, I don't think one game decides on the way he is performing and the way he is approaching. So, that's all he had to adapt to and he tried his best to adapt to that role," he explained.
Bahutule asserted that the conditions forced Kuldeep to adapt to a different trajectory at the Galle International Stadium.
"We had to see how the trajectory or the speeds work in every session. As the days went by and as there was a demand for different types of speeds and different types of trajectories, he definitely was making an effort to bowl that.
"I think he was playing his role. So, he was operating as a wrist spinner in a way where obviously the wicket got slower and slower each day. But I'm sure he was bowling the way he normally bowls," he said.
