Former Indian batter Cheteshwar Pujara has expressed surprise over the attacking spinner Kuldeep Yadav bowling wide of off-stump instead of sticking to the stump line, adding that he should have bowled slightly better against left-handed batters.
Speaking exclusively to Cricinfo, Pujara was a little disappointed that the experienced spinner Kuldeep did not live up to expectations against left-handed batters in the Sri Lankan line-up. Interestingly, the wrist spinner could pick only one wicket, conceding 65 runs in his 14 overs.
“Kuldeep was bowling well. I was a little surprised by Kuldeep and Shubman’s strategy of going wide of off stump. They could have stuck to the stump line. You have to keep the stumps in play. Kuldeep can flight the ball. When you go outside the off stump, the only way you can pick up a wicket is by getting a top edge. He should have bowled slightly better against left-handers,” Cheteshwar Pujara said on Cricinfo.
Furthermore, Pujara has highlighted one key observation from the first innings as the Indian spinners failed to create an impact against the Sri Lankan left-handed batters Niroshan Dickwella and Sonal Dinusha as the duo stitched a 146-run stand for the sixth wicket.
“When both the left-handers were dominating, all our spinners struggled to bowl against them. The batters were sweeping and reverse-sweeping. That was a phase I think our spinners could have been slightly better. Once the ball got softer, our spinners were finding it challenging to spin the ball and to generate that pace and nip off the pitch,” he added.
At the end of Day 3, India took an impressive 178-run lead after the spin duo’s heroics. Sri Lanka were all out for 284 with the middle-order batter Sonal Dinusha scoring his maiden century. In the first innings, India were all out for 462, thanks to a 167-run knock from Devdutt Padikkal.
