Keep Kuldeep Under Wraps, Warns Adams

Paul Adams believes India’s spin sensation Kuldeep Yadav faces a potential struggle in the Test arena.

- Richard Edwards

India may be champing at the bit to hand Kuldeep Yadav a third Test cap – but his IPLfranchise, the Kolkata KnightRiders, may prefer his bowling to continue to develop away from the unique glare of five-day international cricket.

That’s the view of former South African left-arm wrist spinner, Paul Adams. Famous for his ‘frog in a blender’ action, Adams, like Kuldeep, began his international career with a bang.

But his influence faded as batsmen faced more overs against him in Test cricket and his action and variations were picked apart on television. He played his final Test match at the age of just 27, having made his debut as a teenager.

Kuldeep is already 23 and had, before the final match of the one-day series at Headingley, run rings around England’s batsmen so far this summer.

It’s the first time a high-class left-arm wrist spinner has been spotted on these shores in a generation and England’s batsmen have generally played him as if he was delivering grenades rather than a cricket ball.