Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav is set to play a pivotal role in the upcoming five-match Test series against England, as the Indian team enters a significant phase of transition. Yadav is preparing to take on greater responsibility in India’s bowling attack alongside seasoned spinner Ravindra Jadeja. Kuldeep has 56 Test wickets in just 13 Tests, and his record against England has been impressive. He played a valuable role in India’s 4-1 win against England at home in 2024, nabbing 19 victims in four Tests.
“Obviously, playing alongside Jadeja is such a great honour for me. Obviously, Jadeja and (Ravichandran) Ashwin have been brilliant over the last few years. When I made my debut in India, they helped me a lot. And even now, we have been having a lot of chat about how to bowl to certain batters, given the way the England batters are batting at the moment," Kuldeep said while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the intra-squad game between India A and India.
"I'm actually spending a lot of time with him (Jadeja), not only on the field, but also outside as well. So it has actually helped me a lot in terms of tactics and the field placements, and he has given some tips as well."
Kuldeep was full of praise for Shubman Gill, who is set to lead India after taking over captaincy from Rohit Sharma, who retired from Test cricket last month.
“Shubman knows how to lead a team. He has worked under the seniors in the last couple of years. In the last one year, you'd have seen him in a lot of discussions with Rohit bhai - not only in Tests but even in ODIs. I'm sure he has learned a lot, but as a leader, from what I have seen so far, he's very motivated, and he's been playing an active role in lifting the team."
"I have seen over the last three-four sessions that Shubman has the same qualities that I've seen in our previous leadership groups. He's fully ready to lead us."