India fast bowler Umesh Yadav on Thursday said that spinner Kuldeep Yadav’s exclusion from the playing XI for the second Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka was just the management’s call while also reserving praise for Jaydev Unadkat on his return to the red-ball format after 12 years.
Kuldeep had won the player of the match award for his performance in the first Test, as he picked a total of eight wickets and also contributed with a 40-run knock in the first innings as India won by 188 runs.
BAN vs IND, 2nd Test, Day 1 recap: Umesh Yadav, R Ashwin pick up four each to put hosts on back-foot
However, the left-arm wrist spinner was dropped from the playing XI for the second Test, with pacer Unadkat returning to the side. Captain KL Rahul had said at the toss that it was a hard decision.
“It’s part of your journey. It happened to me also. Sometimes you are out of the team because of performance and sometimes it’s the management’s call. You have to go with the team’s requirements,” Umesh said after the first day’s play.
“It’s good for him (Kuldeep) that he came back and performed well (in the first Test in Chattogram).
BAN vs IND: Reactions as visitors drop Kuldeep Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat makes comeback – ‘Bittersweet’
Umesh and R Ashwin claimed four wickets apiece as India bowled-out Bangladesh for 227 runs in their first innings of the second Test.
Mominul Haque top-scored with 84 but the hosts lost wickets at regular intervals to end their innings about an hour before stumps after electing to bat first.
India reached 19/0 before bad light forced an early end to the opening day, with six overs still to be played. Rahul was batting on three with Shubman Gill 14 not out at stumps. Rahul was given out leg-before on three off Shakib Al Hasan in the final over of the day, but the decision was reversed after review.
Umesh earlier picked up 4/25 and Ashwin grabbed 4/71 as India stopped the hosts from building a significant partnership, despite several batsmen getting decent starts.
“It’s a 50-50 wicket. It is not like it is fully for the pacers or spinners. Some balls are doing something and some are not,” said Umesh. “You have to be patient. One odd ball is kicking from back of length, and if you bowl full it is not swinging or doing anything. There is no pace.”
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Talking about Unadkat, who returned to the team for his second Test after making his debut back in 2010, Umesh said he was elated for the left-arm pacer.
“When he made his debut I was with him in South Africa. So, I’m very happy for him that he finally got his chance [again]. He has performed well in the domestic season,” said Umesh.
“When he came into bowl with the new ball, the ball was doing a bit, many balls took the nick of batter’s gloves,” he said of Unadkat who returned with day’s figures of 2/50.
“We knew that Unadkat is used to bowling on these types of wickets and can swing it both ways. So he just had to keep bowling in the right areas and test the batters’ patience.”
‘Mental errors’
Mushfiqur Rahim (26), Liton Das (25) and Najmul Hossain (24) were all unable to lend Mominul an extended spell of support. Mominul, playing his first match in the series, departed as the ninth wicket when he nicked Ashwin behind the stumps.
The left-hander hit 12 fours and a six to make his 16th Test fifty, also his first in the last seven Tests.
Ashwin ended the Bangladesh innings two balls later, with last man Khaled Ahmed giving a catch to Unadkat at deep mid-wicket.
“People made mental errors again when they were set,” said Bangladesh batting coach Jamie Siddons.
“The ball was spinning but the pace bowlers weren’t getting off a great deal. To let Umesh get (four) wickets was very disappointing.”
India won the first Test by 188 runs but are again without injured skipper Rohit Sharma, who was replaced by Rahul.
Bangladesh made two changes, bringing in Taskin Ahmed for the injured Ebadot Hossain and Mominul for Yasir Ali.
Inputs from AFP. Quotes courtesy PTI.