India vs England: 3 Players who can replace Kuldeep Yadav in the playing XI for 3rd ODI

The Indian cricket team is up against England in the ODI series. Even though the 2nd ODI game was a one-sided affair, the Indian team would look to bounce back from a disappointing loss. Ben Stokes was at his brutal best as he smashed ten sixes in an innings. And unfortunately, the Indian bowlers were at the receiving end. 

India’s batting has been up to the mark. But, the only thing that has been haunting captain Kohli is their bowling. Although the bowling attack misses the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, they are leaking runs that are affecting the team’s performance. . One bowler who is under the constant radar is Kuldeep Yadav.

The left-arm Chinaman has been expensive as during the last match, he gave away 84 runs of his 10 overs without picking up any wicket. Even though he is a world-class spinner, it looks like he has to go back to basics.  Therefore, it is time for captain Kohli to make some changes. Let’s take a look at-

3 bowlers who can replace Kuldeep Yadav in the next ODI

3. Washington Sundar

The main issue with Kuldeep’s bowling is his line and length. He has been bowling half trackers which is easy for the batsman to put them away. Also, Kuldeep is not bowling stump to stump, hence there are a lot of flaws in his approach. To cover up for those, team India needs someone who can bowl accurately. 

As Ravindra Jadeja is not available, the best choice would be Washington Sundar. The right-arm off-spinner has been Kohli’s go-to man in IPL and T20I cricket. With an economy of 6.87 and 7.25 in the lucrative T20 league and T20Is, he can choke batsmen. Therefore, Sundar can bowl ten overs if required. 

Adding on, he has been a decent bowler in Test cricket. In four matches, he has picked 6 wickets. Although Sundar is not a big turner of the ball, his accuracy is priceless for a team that has been leaking runs. Sundar is a handy batsman too, and in case of a batting collapse, he can hold on to one end. His Gabba and Ahmedabad innings are sufficient enough to prove this fact and can be a fine contender to replace Yadav in the final ODI.

2. T Natarajan

T Natarajan has been living his dream since last year. The left-arm pacer made it to the Indian squad in every format Down Under. And he has been effective, as Natarajan has complimented the senior bowlers quite well. This time too, he might make it to the Indian squad as Kuldeep is having a bad time with the ball.

Natarajan has played only one ODI game for India. Although he went for 70 runs, he can pick up crucial wickets at regular intervals. This factor might help India to put pressure on Englishmen. Apart from that, Natarajan can vary his length as per the situation, which makes him unpredictable. 

Natarajan has been an effective bowler in the death overs. His deadly yorkers could be used by captain Kohli when someone like Jos Buttler is destroying the bowling attack. Apart from that, as the T20 World Cup is knocking on the doors, a couple of ODI games might give him some confidence. If Kohli is looking forward to including a pacer in place of Yadav, Natarajan is the best choice. 

1. Yuzvendra Chahal 

Yuzi Chahal is one of the best spinners in the world right now. The right-arm leg spinner has the brain to fox the batsman with his deadly leg spinners and he has been Kohli’s go-to man whenever he needed to break a partnership. However, he has been overlooked by the management in this series. But, as Kuldeep is underperforming, he might get a chance in the next game. 

Chahal has been a part of the ODI team for 54 games. In those 54 games, he has picked up 92 wickets. Adding on, an economy rate of 5.21 is impressive given the fact of the nature of the ODI game, which is batsman-friendly. Chahal can bowl economically and build pressure from one end. 

As Jadeja is unavailable, Chahal might play the role of the bowler who builds pressure from one end. With a bowling average of 27.29 and a strike rate of 31.45, he can change the game on his day. Also, Kohli backs the leg spinners, therefore, it is almost certain that Chahal will replace Kuldeep in the third ODI. Apart from that a couple of five-wicket hauls makes him a prime contender for the leading spin attack of India in place of Kuldeep Yadav.