Kuldeep Yadav
Former India batsman Mohammad Kaif feels coach Rahul Dravid should look after Kuldeep Yadav in Sri Lanka as the chinaman bowler possesses "unique talent". Kuldeep may have been sidelined from the national set-up, but Kaif believes the 26-year-old still has a lot to offer.
While the Indian Test side is in England for a five-Test series against the hosts, an alternate white-ball squad, led by Shikhar Dhawan and coached by Dravid, is set to take on Sri Lanka in six-match white-ball series.
The Sri Lanka tour will be Dravid's first official assignment with the senior India contingent, having coached the Under-19 and India A squad in the past.
Kuldeep, who will be looking to revive his career in Sri Lanka, is an integral part of the team's spin bowling department along with Yuzvendra Chahal. Once a key player in India's white-ball set-up, Kuldeep has been warming the bench since the 2019 World Cup. To make things worse, he has also been overlooked from Kolkata Knight Riders' plans.
"You are not going to see players like him every day, he has a unique talent. If you want such players to perform for you, then you need the senior players and captain to back them.
"So it's your (team management) responsibility to manage these kind of players well, and the player must also be mindful of their body language when backed by the think tank," Kaif said during a virtual media press conference organized by Sony Sports.
"Sometimes I get disappointed when I see Kuldeep not getting managed properly. Because as a Chinaman... he has a special quality, not everyone can bowl Chinaman. It’s a gift, I think Rahul Dravid will look after him in Sri Lanka," Kaif further said.
