‘Shifting from white ball to red was challenging’ – Kuldeep Yadav

Yadav was selected in the India XI for the second Test of the five-match series at Lord’s, but had a terrible time – he conceded 44 runs in nine wicketless overs, and didn’t get a second outing, with England winning by an innings and 159 runs.

Yadav had impressed in the limited-overs matches earlier in the tour – he returned 5/24 in the first Twenty20 International, a three-match series India won 2-1, and also claimed a brilliant 6/25 in the first one-day international in Nottingham.

The England batsmen had a hard time picking Yadav in the limited-overs matches, but that changed in Test whites. “You have to change your mindset when playing red ball,” Yadav said in Bengaluru after India A’s clash against Australia A.

“You need to be patient. For me, it was very challenging to use the red ball after a gap because I was quite used to white-ball cricket, and then I was selected to the Test team.

“In ODIs and T20s you tend to try a lot of variations, but with the red ball you need to focus on your line and length.”

Yadav was subsequently dropped from the squad after the third Test, and he returned to India to play in the four-day games against Australia A. India A lost the first of the two matches by 98 runs, but Yadav acquitted himself well, picking 2/63 and 2/51.

Yadav revealed that, after talks with the management, it was decided he was better off playing in the 'A' games than warming the bench in England. “I spoke to MSK (Prasad, the selector) sir and Ravi (Shastri, the head coach) sir (as I left England),” said Yadav.

“There the conditions were such that only one spinner was needed. Here, there were some chances for me because sitting out of the team does not really help. In that perspective, these two games are very important. I can build my red-ball experience. If I get into rhythm now, then I will be in a better place against the West Indies when they come here.”

Yadav is hoping to impress with the red ball in the 'A' games, and earn a recall to the Test squad for the two-match series at home against the Windies in October.