The wait for Kuldeep Yadav's return to Test cricket ended on Thursday as the left-arm wrist spinner was included in India's playing eleven for the first match of the two-Test series against the West Indies at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The 30-year-old Kuldeep is returning to the red-ball cricket after a remarkable Asia Cup campaign where he emerged as the tournament's leading wicket-taker, claiming 17 wickets in seven matches. Despite his dominance in white-ball cricket, he spent the previous England series on the bench during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. However, team management is banking on him for the Caribbean challenge.
Played Last Test in February Last Year
This will be Kuldeep's first Test since February 2024, when he played against New Zealand in Bengaluru. Former Indian wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel stated before the toss, 'It's certainly his time in red-ball cricket. I was very disappointed when he didn't get a chance in the England series.'
Although Kuldeep has been a regular face in India's ODI and T20I teams, his opportunities in Test cricket have been limited. This is largely due to Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja being the first choices in spin-friendly conditions. Nevertheless, Kuldeep's unique wrist spin offers him a distinctive identity, with 56 wickets in 13 Tests, including four instances of five-wicket hauls and three instances of four-wicket hauls.
In team selection, Devdutt Padikkal was overlooked, while Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy found a place. In Rishabh Pant's absence due to injury in the England series, wicketkeeping duties have been entrusted to Dhruv Jurel.
The West Indies, who have been on the lookout for a Test victory in India for almost three decades, won the toss under the leadership of new captain Roston Chase and opted to bat first on an unusually green pitch. Shubman Gill noted that the pitch might initially assist the fast bowlers, but as the game progresses, spin will play a crucial role.
