NEW DELHI: India\u2019s 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\u2019s spin department. Coming off a tough run in the IPL 2026 with Delhi Capitals\u2014where he managed just 10 wickets and the franchise failed to reach the playoffs\u2014Kuldeep believes the early end to his T20 season has been a valuable window to readjust his mindset for the red-ball format.<\/p>\n
Kuldeep, who has 76 wickets from 17 Tests, framed his job in straightforward terms: creating pressure and taking key breakthroughs at crucial moments. \u201cAs an attacking spinner, I want to keep getting breakthroughs for the team, and that\u2019s the only mindset I\u2019m bringing. My focus is completely on playing red-ball cricket,\u201d he said during JioHotstar\u2019s \u201cFollow the Blues\u201d segment.<\/p>\n
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. \u201cIt\u2019s 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,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
In Kuldeep\u2019s view, the biggest adjustment is mental as much as technical. Test cricket requires patience and consistency far more than the shorter format does. \u201cBowling in Test cricket is different. In T20, you\u2019re always attacking. You\u2019re always thinking about going after the batter. But in Test cricket, the batter has a lot of time,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
With high-profile Test assignments ahead against Australia, Sri Lanka and New Zealand, Kuldeep underlined the value of maintaining a strong spin group. \u201cI believe that if you have a quality spin attack in your team, you can break the game open in any situation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
For the Afghanistan Test, Kuldeep expects extra responsibility with Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel unavailable. Still, he sounded confident about India\u2019s options, pointing to Harsh Dubey and Manav Suthar. \u201cThe 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,\u201d he revealed.<\/p>\n
Kuldeep also gave credit to the younger spinners, highlighting how their domestic involvement has helped them build red-ball match awareness. \u201cThey 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,\u201d 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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
NEW DELHI: India\u2019s left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav says his full focus is now on Test cricket, with the one-off match against Afghanistan set to…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":14146,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"Kuldeep Yadav IPL woes: set for Test role vs Afghanistan","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Kuldeep Yadav opens up on IPL struggles and his mindset shift, as India\u2019s Afghanistan Test looms with a bigger role for the left-arm spinner.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14147","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n