T20 World Cup 2024: Why India requires Kuldeep Yadav to counter Pakistan in New York blockbuster

PTC News Desk: Team India will be full of confidence going into their intense group A match against archrivals Pakistan in New York on Sunday, having defeated Ireland in their T20 World Cup opener. However, Pakistan is hurt and wounded following their humiliating loss to the USA, the hosts, two days prior to the major match.

Pakistan’s confidence would have taken a serious hit after losing the USA Super Over, and it is unclear if they can bounce back for the match against India, which is essential to their chances of moving on to the next round. India will probably continue with the same bowling attack, but they would be wise to add wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav.

KULDEEP MISSED IRELAND CLASH

The main factor influencing India’s decision to start Axar Patel over Kuldeep in their opening Twenty20 World Cup match against Ireland was squad balance. Having four seamers in the lineup, Axar’s bat position at No. 8 contributed to a much-needed buffer. But against Pakistan, the advantages of having an extra batting option can be outweighed by the necessity for a wicket-taking bowler like Kuldeep.

Captain Rohit Sharma has stressed the value of being adaptable and condition-aware. After the Ireland match, Rohit said, “We are open to making changes to the team’s needs.” Although he agreed that the pitch conditions in New York are unpredictable, he emphasized the significance of being ready for a difficult surface.

PAKISTAN’s SPIN PROBLEM

The batting team lead by Babar Azam of Pakistan was severely exposed by American spinners in their opening Twenty20 World Cup match, which left the batsmen struggling. The best bowler was American left-arm spinner Nosthush Kenjige, who took 3 for 30 to rattle Pakistani batters Usman Khan and Azam Khan, who looked hesitant and uneasy. This performance brings to light a larger problem for the Pakistani squad, which is their diminishing ability to play spin.

Pakistani batsmen have struggled in recent years to make runs when faced with good spin. The only shining light in Pakistan’s batting lineup is still Babar Azam, while the rest of the team has not performed well. Their struggles against Kenjige on a Dallas pitch that was deemed to be rather decent indicate that they may have greater difficulty while facing Kuldeep Yadav.

SENSATIONAL KULDEEP RECORD

The record of Kuldeep Yadav as a match-winner is well-established. In the IPL 2024, the left-arm spinner looked formidable when he bowled, taking 16 wickets at an economy rate of 8.70 in 11 games. Kuldeep actually had an even more outstanding performance in the T20 Internationals last year, taking 14 wickets at an economy rate of 5.97 in nine games. These figures demonstrate his capacity to manage the scoring rate while taking vital wickets.

Kuldeep’s outstanding record in One-Day Internationals against Pakistan only serves to increase his potency. He has claimed 12 wickets at an economy rate of 3.78 in six games, including a brilliant 5/25 in the Asia Cup and a frugal 2/35 in the ODI World Cup. His triumphs over Pakistan in both formats demonstrate his ability to rule them in Twenty20 Internationals as well.

MYSTERY FACTOR

Kuldeep’s mystery factor is one of his biggest benefits. Since the Indian spinner hasn’t faced Pakistan in T20 Internationals, their hitters haven’t been exposed to his distinct chinaman bowling style in the shortest format. Kuldeep is a powerful weapon for India because of this unfamiliarity, which can raise doubts and make the Pakistani batsmen more likely to make mistakes.

WILL KULDEEP PLAY?

It will be intriguing to watch whether Kuldeep Yadav is selected by Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid for the highly anticipated match against Pakistan.

Given his stellar record and Pakistan’s difficulty against left-arm spin, the Indian team management may be inclined to pick Kuldeep in the playing XI. It will be Kuldeep Yadav’s maiden T20 encounter against Pakistan if he makes the starting XI on Sunday. The Indian spinner, who has an economy rate of 6.74 and a T20I average of 14.10, along with his element of mystery, makes him an interesting player to watch.

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