Kuldeep Yadav should be a part of Test match cricket: Anil Kumble

Former Indian spinner and commentator Anil Kumble has stated that the attacking spinner Kuldeep Yadav needs to be a constant part of the Indian Test team, terming him as an ‘X-factor’, and added that he is not easy to pick.

Speaking exclusively on The Great Indian Cricket Show, Kumble has also asserted that Kuldeep should be looked at as India’s No.1 spinner and form the playing XI accordingly with other all-rounders, pacers and batters.

"I think Kuldeep Yadav should be a part of Test match cricket if you have to take 20 wickets. Yes, there is Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, and Axar Patel. But I think Kuldeep's X-factor is that it's not easy to pick him. And we have seen that," Kumble said on The Great Indian Cricket Show.

"I would like to see Kuldeep being the number one spinner as a listed spinner in the playing XI. And then whatever you want to do after that, all-rounders, fast bowlers and then you pick the rest of the players," he added.

Notably, Kuldeep Yadav was benched for all five Tests of the England series in the recently concluded Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, which India levelled by 2-2 in England. Most recently, Kuldeep has finally broken the silence on being sildelined from the whole tour.

"In England, obviously, looking at the conditions and the combination of the team, I did not get a place in the team. But obviously, it was a very good time for me to work on myself, to improve my fitness and to give more volume to bowling because it is very important," Kuldeep said while speaking to reporters on Thursday.

"I learned a lot. As a player, you learn a lot when you do not play. When the team reacts to situations, you can judge from the outside. You have a lot of ideas that you are in this situation, how you react and how you bowl. I got a lot of ideas from there," he concluded.

Anil Kumble insists Kuldeep Yadav deserves a spot in India’s Test squad, highlighting his skills and potential impact in red-ball cricket.Stay updated with the latest cricket news, match insights, and exclusive updates at BetBarter and download the BetBarter app to start betting today!