‘Shubman Gill didn’t back him’: India captain questioned after Kuldeep Yadav bowled just 25 overs in Galle | cricket news

Former India cricketer Mohammed Kaif questioned captain Shubman Gill’s use of Kuldeep Yadav in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle, saying the spinner’s short spells suggested a lack of faith in him.Kuldeep bowled just 25 overs in India’s two innings in the Test and took one wicket, while left-arm spinner Manav Suthar and Ravindra Jadeja bowled around 44 overs each and shared 14 wickets. India won the Test by 165 runs.Kaif, speaking on his YouTube channel, said that Kuldeep is a rare type of bowler and needs the support of the captain and the team management.“The way he was used, it is clear that Shubman Gill does not have enough faith in Kuldeep Yadav. In my view, you wouldn’t find a unique bowler like Kuldeep that often. They appear only once or twice in the story. We may get Ravindra Jadeja’s replacement in the future, like we have Suthar; then we had Washington Sundar after Ashwin, but Kuldeep is a unique gift.”Kaif also said that wrist spinners need longer spells to establish a rhythm and work on their mistakes.“When you give a spell to a bowler, especially a wrist spin, you need to give him a long spell. Short spells don’t help Kuldeep. Longer spells give you a chance to rectify mistakes. You need time to get into the rhythm. Shubman Gill didn’t support him in that regard,” he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.Kaif backed former India head coach Ravi Shastri’s assessment that Kuldeep is India’s number one player in overseas conditions. He said left-arm wrist spin could be particularly important on flatter pitches where there is less assistance from the surface.“I agree with Ravi Shastri who said Kuldeep is our number one spinner in overseas conditions. You just need precision on the spin tracks. Somehow you will get a wicket by bowling in the same area. But you won’t get spin tracks like that in New Zealand. I feel Kuldeep will play a big role on flat pitches or on pitches where there wouldn’t be much spin to offer. You will have to keep his confidence high as a captain and as a team manager,” Kaif said.India’s next Test will be in Colombo from August 23, and Kaif believes the team could consider debuting Madhya Pradesh all-rounder Saransh Jain.He pointed to Sri Lanka’s left-handed batsmen Niroshan Dickwella and Sonal Dinusha, who scored runs in the first Test, as a possible reason for India to consider offside.“I feel India might be considering playing Saransh Jain in Colombo. The two batsmen who scored runs, Dickwella and Sonal, are both left-handed. There came a time when Shubman Gill was looking for offside when they were batting. Due to the good form of Sri Lanka’s left-handers, Kuldeep may have to face the axe. Earlier it was Suthar vs Saransh; “Now it will be Kuldeep vs Saransh,” he concluded.Kuldeep, who made his Test debut in 2018, played 19 Tests and took 80 wickets at an average of 23.36. He has four four-wicket hauls and five five-wicket hauls, with best figures of 5/40.He has played two Tests this year and has taken four wickets at an average of over 41.