Gill Applauds Kuldeep’s Match-Winning Efforts
Test captain Shubman Gill expressed his admiration for spinner Kuldeep Yadav following his exceptional performance in the second Test match against the West Indies in Delhi.
During an interview on Cricket Live, Gill stated, “I am very pleased with Kuldeep. He has consistently been a key bowler for us. Regardless of the conditions, the temptation to include a wrist spinner like Kuldeep is always present.”
Gill Highlights Kuldeep’s Impact
The captain elaborated, “At times, you must consider whether to opt for an additional all-rounder or a wrist spinner. Kuldeep is a player who keeps you competitive, irrespective of the pitch conditions.”
In the second Test, Kuldeep emerged as the standout bowler, claiming eight wickets, including a remarkable five-wicket haul in the first innings. He concluded the series as the leading wicket-taker with a total of 12 wickets, emphasizing his growing significance in India’s Test squad.
India’s 2-0 Series Victory
India achieved a 2–0 series victory, marking Gill’s inaugural win as the full-time Test captain.
Match Summary: India vs. West Indies – 2nd Test
In the match, India won the toss and chose to bat first. After KL Rahul’s dismissal for 38 runs, Yashasvi Jaiswal formed a 193-run partnership with Sai Sudharsan, who scored 87 runs. Jaiswal was eventually run out after scoring 175 runs off 258 balls, hitting 22 fours.
Gill continued his impressive form, scoring 129 not out off 196 balls, which included 16 fours and two sixes. He built partnerships with Nitish Kumar Reddy (43 runs) and Dhruv Jurel (44 not out), leading India to a declaration at 518/5.
For the West Indies, Jomel Warrican was the standout bowler with figures of 3/98.
West Indies’ Struggles
In their first innings, the West Indies were bowled out for 248 runs. Key contributions came from Tagenarine Chanderpaul (34 runs), Alick Athaneze (41 runs), and Shai Hope (36 runs), but these were not enough to build a substantial score.
Kuldeep Yadav (5/82) and Ravindra Jadeja (3/46) effectively utilized the spin-friendly conditions.
West Indies’ Fightback
Forced to follow on, the West Indies found themselves at 35/2 but managed to recover with a 177-run partnership between John Campbell (115 runs) and Hope (103 runs).
Roston Chase contributed 40 runs, and a resilient 10th-wicket partnership of 79 runs between Justin Greaves (50 runs) and Jayden Seales (32 runs) helped the West Indies reach 390 runs, establishing a 120-run lead. Kuldeep and Jasprit Bumrah each took three wickets.
In the chase for 121 runs, India lost Yashasvi early but KL Rahul’s unbeaten 58 runs anchored the innings, leading India to victory by seven wickets.
Awards and Recognition
Kuldeep’s outstanding performance earned him the ‘Player of the Match’ award, while Jadeva’s century and total of eight wickets throughout the series secured him the ‘Player of the Series’ title as India. triumphed 2-0.
