‘Trying to find best way to fit Kuldeep Yadav into playing XI without compromising on batting front’ – Morne Morkel

Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar both grabbed two wickets, and it appeared that Kuldeep Yadav could have performed admirably on this surface. Many pundits and fans have questioned why the veteran wrist spinner has been overlooked thus far in the series.

The Indian bowlers failed to live up to their promise on Day 3 of the fourth Test at Old Trafford in Manchester, as England grabbed a massive 186-run first-innings advantage with three wickets in hand. Ben Stokes will bat for 77 on the penultimate day of the Test, with Liam Dawson (21*) providing support. Another 50 runs, and India will have to work extremely hard to force the hosts to bat for the second time in the Test match.

India’s bowling has appeared feeble in the Test match, with England scoring 544 runs in 135 overs at a run rate of 4.03. Mohammed Siraj appeared fatigued after playing the first three Tests. Jasprit Bumrah suffered an ankle injury but returned to the pitch soon after. However, it appeared that he bowled well inside himself in the second half of the day. Debutant Anshul Kamboj looked like a fish out of water, as his bowling performance demonstrated that he needed more time to adjust to the big stage.

Morne Morkel, India’s bowling coach, was asked the same question after the third day of play.

He stated that India is looking for a method to bring Kuldeep Yadav into the lineup, but they do not want to make their batting appear thin.

“I believe it’s about finding balance when he comes in and making that batting lineup a little longer and stronger. In the past, we’ve lost wickets in large numbers. Kuldeep is a world-class bowler who is currently doing admirably, therefore we’re working hard to find ways for him to get in. But, unfortunately, just balancing with batting throws it off a little bit,” Morkel explained.

The former South African speedster stated that India needs depth in the batting area, especially when playing in England, due to the home team’s aggressive approach.

“You’ll need it against England, especially given the way they play and their style of cricket. But, to be honest, the wicket has been dry and has spun slightly. This puts Washington into the game. It introduces Jaddu [Jadeja] to the game. So Kuldeep, we’re trying to find a way for him, but it’s more about getting consistent runs from our top six so we can put someone like Kuldeep in,” Morkel said.