Test Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal outside subcontinent: Sourav Ganguly

Former captain Sourav Ganguly believes it is too early to determine whether the spin bowling combination of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal is going to be a permanent fixture in the Indian cricket team in limited-overs cricket, especially overseas, ahead of the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.

Ashwin and Jadeja have formed a lethal pair in the last two years or so, helping India achieve many Test wins and climb to the No.1 spot in ICC rankings.

However, after a rigorous run in Tests wherein India played four Tests against West Indies in the Caribbean last year, followed by 13 games at home and then a three-Test series earlier this year in Sri Lanka, Ashwin and Jadeja have been on a break from national duties.

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While Kuldeep and Chahal did extremely well in India’s 5-0 win in the ODI series against Sri Lanka, followed by a 4-1 hammering of Australia at home, Ashwin and Jadeja have been off the radar.

Ashwin utilised the time to garner English county experience whereas Jadeja was part of the Indian side for ODIs against Australia, but was released from the team without making a single appearance.

Regarding the future of the two senior Indian spinners, Ganguly said it is too early to determine what would be the best spin combination for India, especially overseas.

“There is talk about how Kuldeep Yadav and Chahal have played a good part in India’s victory and questions are been raised about the future of Ashwin and Jadeja in the shorter versions. No doubt Kuldeep and Chahal have bowled well but in Indian conditions, spinners generally do well. It is too early to comment about the two as they still have to express their skill in conditions outside India,” Ganguly expressed his views in a column for The Times of India.

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Hardik Pandya the biggest positive

India captain Virat Kohli has been terming Pandya’s rise as the ‘biggest positive’ for Indian cricket ever since the conclusion of the Test series in Sri Lanka which his team won 3-0. In the third Test Pandya scored a rapid century – his first in first class cricket – and won praise from all over.

Ganguly has echoed Kohli’s words, following Pandya’s impressive show in the series against Australia.

“India dominated the series in all aspects against Australia, except a few blemishes here and there. The biggest plus for me has been Hardik Pandya. He has shown progression in his game and in the last few months has evolved as one more match-winner,” wrote the former India opener.

“He has natural talent and good temperament both while batting and bowling. He will need to keep on channelizing this in the right direction over a period of time.”

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Persist with Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav

Despite their ordinary performances in the series against Australia, Ganguly is of the opinion that the likes of Pandey and Jadhav must be given a long rope.

“The likes of Manish Pandey and Kedar Jadhav also need to be handled carefully. I know there has been some talk about the two, but Virat Kohli has done the right thing by persisting with them. When you give youngsters a chance you have to be patient with them, and it will eventually give you dividends, wrote Ganguly.

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“Ajinkya Rahane has made the most of whatever opportunity he has got but I am sure, he too must have felt the pinch at missing out on a few hundreds. Rahane needs to be kept in the loop as an opener for T20s also because he definitely has value at the top.”

India are now gearing up for a three ODIs and T20Is each against New Zealand, starting October 22 at Mumbai.