Why we should back the Chahal-Kuldeep duo

A few months back, I stopped to wonder why India did not instil trust in leg-spinners when the entire cricket world was going gaga about a certain Rashid Khan. South Africa have Imran Tahir and Australia’s Adam Zampa had brief moments of brilliance. Even Pakistan were quick to unearth a stunning leggie in the form of Shadab Khan. England have Adil Rashid, who can be devastating on his day while Windies back Devendra Bishoo and had Samuel Badree before that.

We didn’t have even one leggie in India’s scheme of things then. Now we have a leggie Yuzvendra Chahal and a “left-arm wrist spinner” Kuldeep Yadav India’s approach in this context is interesting because the selectors, team management and the captain seem to be on the same page- looking to form a core for the next World Cup, which is less than two years away.

This topic comes as one of those experiments Virat Kohli has been talking about lately but with the apparent experiment reaping results so far, what lies ahead for India’s perpetually strong spin attack and if they plan to demarcate roles to two of the most experienced offies in India’s circuit?

The twin

Spin twins, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja have bowled tirelessly in the whites over the home season and it’s a treat to watch both of them bowl their sharp lengths and tight lines. I admire their in-tandem bowling to an extent where I feel a match without an Ashwin or Jadeja fifer is incomplete.

However, I’m still not keen on the idea of the duo fitting into India’s limited overs side knowing that they haven’t quite been big contributors in India’s assignments post World Cup 2015.

Jadeja’s 8 wickets in 10 ODIs at 60.12 and Ashwin’s 8 wickets in 9 ODIs at 53.75 this year are very dull in comparison to their dominance at the Test level where the former has 44 wickets in 7 Test matches at 22.40 and the latter has 44 wickets in 8 Test matches at 26.95.

I back the current duo of Kuldeep and Chahal to make it big. It is evident that India looking to groom the young blood in order to reveal them on the big stage, now is the time to start backing them and it looks like India and Kohli have realized that. And not many would disagree when they see the first specialist wrist-spinning duo successfully hunting in pairs.

One particular quote from Chahal in a post-match interview was the essence of the newfound friendship we should ideally be backing. “If Kuldeep bowls first, he tells me where the ball is turning from. When I bowl first, I tell him the same. And we discuss how a batsman can be dismissed. As we both are wrist spinners, we go for wickets at the start. You win matches by picking wickets and not by playing safe,” he said.

I remember reading a headline emphasizing that leg-spinners are not a luxury, but a necessity and I agree. The very fact that the Kookaburra is more successful at creating an impact when in the hand of a “chinaman” or a leggie than an offie is actually in the recent numbers.

Of course, more off-spinners in the cricket scene means more overs but the key here is the wickets taken. Leg-spinners have 37 more than off-spinners and that’s a lot if you consider that the former group has more impact despite bowling 546.9 overs fewer than offies. The average and strike rate aren’t compromised on either. Interestingly, leggies do not have a very expensive economy rate despite the notion that they get hit more often and can go for runs.

The rarity of chinaman bowlers are depicted in the number too and even though the economy rate soars a little higher, 31 wickets at an average of 31.1 is the next best bet after leggies. The rarity makes it difficult for most batsmen to read them too, making Kuldeep’s place in the team a special one.

Moreover, the added advantage and the assurance that your spin attack will not be dependent on the pitch or the conditions for assistance boosts the team strength. In an article on Indian Express, VVS Laxman had said, “If you’re bowling on an unresponsive pitch in the middle overs, when the bowlers are unable to extract any purchase of the wicket, the leggies can be banked to do something special. Teams are experimenting with wrist spinners with the World Cup in view. The good ones will be very handy in winning matches in all conditions.”

The narrative that your best spinners should be a part of your side in big games, holds true though. And that seems like a major reason for why India won’t part with Ashwin or Jadeja despite the younger duo’s early success, but with Ashwin already focusing on adding another dimension to his red-ball skills with a county stint and a break from the Indian Premier League, it’s slightly clear where his own heart is.

The same cannot be said about Jadeja though, probably because, that man is the human version of a bowling machine, tireless and scarily accurate, giving him an edge when it comes to providing him yet another shot at establishing his spot.

Cricket being a game of endless possibilities, it is likely that Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav may be fighting for the same spot. It’s difficult to figure out what India’s plan from here on would be but one thing is certain- modern-era cricket bases itself on a relatively aggressive approach and the captains are fearless and more open to risks. If a braver front and encouraging bowlers to bowl with more freedom is cited as a key to success, there’s no reason why India should lag behind.