Can “Chinaman” Kuldeep Yadav Swing India’s Fortune Against West Indies In 3-Match ODI Series?

After India’s one-day international (ODI) fortunes took a hit in the Krugerrand country recently, ‘Chinaman’ practitioner (left-arm leg spin and googly bowler) Kuldeep Yadav got a call up, to swing matches back in its favour, for the three-match home series against the West Indies in early February. Under skipper KL Rahul, India lost 0-3 to South Africa at Paarl and in Cape Town but, under fit-again captain Rohit Sharma, it will look to put it across the West Indies on the slow turners of the Motera venue in Ahmedabad, renamed as Narendra Modi Stadium. The unorthodox Yadav — who earned the sobriquet, Kulcha, bowling in tandem with right-hand leg spinner, Yuzvendra Chahal — was soundly thrashed by England batters in March 2021 on the flat tracks of Gahunje (Pune) off the Expressway. He went for 0/68 and 0/84 against England and when recalled for the series in Sri Lanka, he returned 2/48 and 0/55 at Colombo in July last. Yadav, after three very successful years in 2017 (22 wkts at 24.77), 2018 (45 at 17.78) and 2019 (32 at 34.69) has been on a downhill in the pandemic years. Now the selectors expect the Uttar Pradesh tweaker to tease and torment the carefree West Indian batters. He has taken 24 wickets at 24.92 in 15 ODIs against the West Indies from 2017 to 2019.