T20 WC: ‘Kuldeep provides flair’: Fleming calls for spinner’s inclusion ahead of Ind vs Afg Super 8 tie

sanjeev

khelja|19-06-2024

Former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming has called for Kuldeep Yadav's inclusion in India's playing XI ahead of their T20 World Cup Super 8 encounter versus Afghanistan, in Barbados on Thursday (June 20).
Rohit Sharma-led India have had a flawless run in the group stage, winning three before their last league game was washed out, and will start their run in the Super 8 as firm favourites to reach the semifinals. Before their first game in the next round, Fleming said he feels Kuldeep will be essential for India, given the turning tracks of West Indies. Kuldeep hasn't played a single game in the ongoing T20 WC, being held in West Indies and the USA.
During India's USA leg, they went for an extra seamer, which led to Kuldeep's omission, however, they might have to tinker their winning combination for the upcoming Super 8 games. Fleming said on ESPNCricinfo, "You can't be so set in one way of playing that you miss the opportunities to take advantage of conditions as you say but yeah, I would think maybe Kuldeep would come in to provide that extra bit of wicket-taking flair if the wickets do provide the turn as they get a little bit more used and you get closer to the end of the tournament."   Asked about the team selection for the T20 WC, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) coach said India have made some tough choices already, by dropping Yashasvi Jaiswal. Thus, Fleming stated that the Men in Blue have gone ahead with a squad keeping the final of the tournament in mind (in Barbados on June 29), which might aid a lot of spin. Fleming opined, "They had to make some hard calls while Jaiswal was a great player, that's leaving out top quality players is always difficult and having a plan and you stay to it when you've got great players sitting on the sidelines is always very difficult because it's tempting to keep looking where the grass is greener, but I like the job they've done, they've got through." "This is a team that in some ways is picked for the finals in my view, it's a team that has spinners that can dominate, it has players that can dominate spin and we've seen spin in the West Indies play quite a big part, not so much in New York.
So, I think they've got job done and they've got quite smartly a view of mind, this is how we want to play the key games now going into hopefully the semi-finals and final," Fleming added. INDIA's SUPER 8 FIXTURES 20 June: Afghanistan v India, Bridgetown, Barbados (8 PM IST) 22 June: India v Bangladesh, North Sound, Antigua (8 PM IST) 24 June: Australia v India, Gros Islet, St Lucia (8 PM IST)
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