Not so long ago, Ravichandran Ashwin was India's number one Test spinner. But Kuldeep Yadav has become India's top pick in recent times, at least on foreign soil. And going forward, the wrist spinner is going to be India's frontline spinner.
This is what India head coach Ravi Shastri confirmed to Cricbuzz.
Shastri has said that Kuldeep is firmly ahead of veteran Ashwin in the pecking order. The former India all-rounder made it clear that going forward, wrist spinners will be in vogue in Test cricket and Kuldeep is "already" ahead of Ashwin and Jadeja as country's number one spinner.
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"Already! He plays overseas Test cricket and he gets five wickets, so he becomes our primary overseas spinner. Going ahead, if we have to play one spinner, he is the one we will pick," Shastri said.
"There is a time for everyone (referring to Ashwin's poor fitness record in 2018). But now Kuldeep is our frontline number one overseas spinner," he added.
Kuldeep bagged a five-for in the rain-affected Sydney Test and most of the Australian batsmen failed to read him.
"I was very impressed with the way Kuldeep bowled in Sydney. Even in Test cricket, it is going to be the age of wrist spin, especially in overseas Test cricket. The way he bowled in Sydney, he becomes our number one spinner in overseas Test cricket," Shastri said.
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But it's early days for Kuldeep in the Test arena. The 24-year-old has only played six matches but has already taken 24 wickets including two five-wicket hauls.
Meanwhile, Ashwin is a veteran of 65 Tests and has taken 342 wickets. The 32-year-old is the fastest Indian bowler and the second fastest in the world to reach 200 Test wickets after Australian spinner Clarrie Grimmett.
(With PTI inputs)
