Former India wicket-keeper-batter Deep Dasgupta opined on wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav’s case amid the ongoing Test series between Sri Lanka and India as well. However, the second Test is being played at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo. Notably, Kuldeep Yadav was dropped from the playing XI due to an infection, as mentioned by captain Shubman Gill at the toss.

“Spinners in general are of two types. Some are naturally confident no matter what, and others for whom confidence is external and they need backing. I think Kuldeep needs backing. Look at his best periods. It has been when MS was behind the stumps. I feel he needs that validation more compared to other bowlers. And when you don’t get that and are not playing regularly, he does not get the confidence he needs. Some players are like that,” Deep Dasgupta said in a video on his YouTube channel. “Him not playing regularly or getting dropped does not help. It plays slightly more on his confidence and mind, as compared to someone like Yuzi Chahal or even Ashwin, for that matter, if I talk of his contemporaries.”

READ HERE: Shubman Gill Breaks Silence On ODI Futures Of Rohit Sharma And Virat Kohli

However, Deep Dasgupta also opened up on the technical aspects of Kuldeep Yadav’s bowling that have been concerning as well.

“Kuldeep’s case has been tough. His pace is less. And a big reason for this is that the right portion of his hand opens up very fast towards the leg stump, and then he bowls only with the arm. He was dropped for this before as well and did work on it. He changed his run-up and made it slightly quicker. But even now, the issue is there. The zip off the pitch becomes problematic,” he said.

“You can question that this was his action even before, so what is the difference now? The problem is that five years earlier, he was still younger and stronger, and with age, strength and power do go down a bit. On a slow pitch, the turn is very slow, so batters can manage. You try to bowl a bit faster. But when you do that, you compromise on spin. As he is only bowling with the arm and trying to bowl fast, he is not getting as much purchase and turn. It’s not like he cannot change it, though. It is about alignment,” Deep Dasgupta concluded.