Former Indian Test batter Cheteshwar Pujara has backed the team management decision to drop Kuldeep Yadav in the third T20I against the West Indies. India made two changes to their playing XI in the third game of the series, bringing Prince Yadav and Nitish Kumar Reddy in place of Kuldeep Yadav and Shivam Dube.
In the first two games of the series, Kuldeep returned with three wickets at an average of 28.67, but the wrist spinner conceded his runs at an economy rate of 10.75.
Pujara said India needed someone like Prince Yadav to be part of the playing XI. Yadav returned with figures of 0-37 in his four overs and played a little cameo of 6-ball 13 in the third T20I.
Cheteshwar Pujara said on Cricinfo, “I think the team selection was perfect. In the T20 format, I believe in picking the best XI on a given day based on the conditions and the ground. Kuldeep has been bowling really well, but you needed someone like Prince Yadav to be part of the playing XI. And, it was a fair call to pick Nitish Kumar Reddy instead of Shivam Dube. Not that Shivam is not a good T20 player, but Reddy is a better bowler.”
Pujara praised Arshdeep Singh for using the around-the-wicket angle against West Indies captain Shai Hope. Hope, who has been in terrific form, was bowled by Singh after managing only five runs. Singh returned with impressive figures of 3-44 in his quota of four overs.
He added, “It was important that Indian bowlers came up with a good game plan, which was not to give a lot of room to the West Indies batters, especially Shai Hope. And, the kind of angles Indian bowlers created… Someone like Arshdeep Singh is not used to bowling around the stumps. He always prefers to bowl over the stumps, but he challenged himself to go around the stumps, try and create that angle and keep the balls in the stumps and he got his reward.”
The fourth T20I between India and the West Indies will be played at Hyderabad on Wednesday.
