IND vs AUS | Depends on team management to get the best of Kuldeep Yadav, reckons Harbhajan Singh

One of Kuldeep Yadav’s best overseas performance came against Australia Down Under in 2019, when he picked up a five-wicket haul at Sydney Cricket Ground. That not only promoted to the high praise from outside the setup but also from inside the setup, with head coach Ravi Shastri calling him as India’s ‘first-choice’ spinner in overseas Tests. 

Two years later, the situation has dramatically and drastically changed, pushing Kuldeep outside the favourite for a spot in the playing XI for the series Down Under. Former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who himself has been a match-winner against Australia, reckoned that Kuldeep Yadav’s form entirely depends on how the team management works around with him. 

"When we talk about confidence, Kuldeep hasn't played a lot of cricket since the 2019 World Cup in England. Even in IPL 2020 he played a handful of games only. It depends on the team management on how they handle him, and how they can get the best out of him,” Harbhajan told Sports Tak, reported India Today. 

Last time India toured Australia, they were on the victorious end, with a 2-1 scoreline in a dramatic Test series, that saw the missing of David Warner and Steve Smith. Harbhajan recalled how Shastri had reckoned that Kuldeep would be the best choice for Tests away from home. 

"The last time he played a Test in Australia, Ravi Shastri had said that Kuldeep would be the best choice for the Test side on overseas pitches. We will have to wait and see if Shastri sticks by his statement on Kuldeep.”

However, for the first Test at the Adelaide Oval, which incidentally is also a pink-ball Test, the off-spinner believes that India would pick from either of Ravindra Jadeja or Ravichandran Ashwin, owing to Kuldeep’s low confidence. 

"But looking at his confidence right now, I don't think India will pick Kuldeep in the 1st Test, they will either go with Ravindra Jadeja or Ravichandran Ashwin," Harbhajan concluded.