NEW DELHI: India’s left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav says his full focus is now on Test cricket, with the one-off match against Afghanistan set to give him a leading role in India’s spin department. Coming off a tough run in the IPL 2026 with Delhi Capitals—where he managed just 10 wickets and the franchise failed to reach the playoffs—Kuldeep believes the early end to his T20 season has been a valuable window to readjust his mindset for the red-ball format.
Kuldeep, who has 76 wickets from 17 Tests, framed his job in straightforward terms: creating pressure and taking key breakthroughs at crucial moments. “As an attacking spinner, I want to keep getting breakthroughs for the team, and that’s the only mindset I’m bringing. My focus is completely on playing red-ball cricket,” he said during JioHotstar’s “Follow the Blues” segment.
The spinner also acknowledged that switching from the fast tempo of T20 cricket to the rhythm of Test matches is rarely seamless. He used the extra time after the IPL to work specifically on the demands of red-ball cricket and to get comfortable with its different challenges. “It’s tough when you shift from IPL cricket to red-ball cricket. Preparation becomes very necessary. Luckily, I have time. I practised for at least 10 to 15 days and got the feel of the red ball,” he added.
In Kuldeep’s view, the biggest adjustment is mental as much as technical. Test cricket requires patience and consistency far more than the shorter format does. “Bowling in Test cricket is different. In T20, you’re always attacking. You’re always thinking about going after the batter. But in Test cricket, the batter has a lot of time,” he explained.
With high-profile Test assignments ahead against Australia, Sri Lanka and New Zealand, Kuldeep underlined the value of maintaining a strong spin group. “I believe that if you have a quality spin attack in your team, you can break the game open in any situation,” he said.
For the Afghanistan Test, Kuldeep expects extra responsibility with Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel unavailable. Still, he sounded confident about India’s options, pointing to Harsh Dubey and Manav Suthar. “The preparations have been going well for the Afghanistan Test match. We have had two net sessions so far. Yes, Jaddu bhai is not there. He is a regular in Tests. We will also miss Axar Patel. But the preparations have been good,” he revealed.
Kuldeep also gave credit to the younger spinners, highlighting how their domestic involvement has helped them build red-ball match awareness. “They might lack international experience, but when it comes to preparation and match awareness when it comes to red-ball cricket, they are absolutely on top because they have been playing regularly,” he said. He believes their recent exposure through India A tours and domestic competitions has set them up well for the step up to international cricket.
