The Indian team management has committed to the idea of preferring wrist spinners and using them as much as possible. Even as Kuldeep Yadav made his first Test appearance outside the sub-continent in the ongoing Lord’s Test, for the last fortnight Yuzvendra Chahal has also been made to get ready with some red-ball cricket by the selectors.
The Haryana leg-spinner’s last First Class game was in the Ranji Trophy quarterfinal against Jharkhand in 2016 and missed last year’s domestic due to a heavy international workload in the shorter formats.
As part of the India-A side playing against South Africa-A, Chahal has picked only four wickets so far in two matches and is slowly warming up after a two-year break.
Speaking after the third day’s play, the 28-year old said, “I am playing after two years. It takes time to adjust. There is no pressure on the batsmen here. In limited-overs, if there is a run rate pressure, the batsmen try to go after you but here, a bowler needs to use his skills to get the batsmen out.”
Chahal, who has more or less become the primary spinner in the shorter formats, felt playing longer-format actually helps the bowlers in being mentally sharp for other formats.
“If you are playing Test matches, your bowling will improve and your mind will get sharper. You need to adjust and think how you can get a batsman out, especially on wickets where there is no turn.”
Only focus
When asked about how desperate he is for a Test call-up especially with the squad for the final two Tests yet to be announced Chahal said, “I am just focused on this tournament. If I am not selected, then there is Asia Cup for which I will be preparing.”
“I have to play a little bit more of red-ball cricket, that’s why the selectors sent me here. Two years is a long gap and here, you need to keep yourself fit too to bowl long spells. Bowling a good delivery and getting a wicket off a good delivery are two different things and you need the latter. The more I play, the more mature I will get in this format.”
Commenting on the ongoing series, Chahal said, “It is tough and we knew it is going swing a lot. But it is not that India can’t turn it around. There are three more Tests so there are chances of a comeback.”