Colombo: India spin bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule came out in strong support of left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav ahead of the second Test against Sri Lanka, firmly stating that the bowler executed his assigned role extremely well despite challenging match scenarios in Galle.
Addressing the pre-match press conference in Colombo, Bahutule clarified that Kuldeep had to adjust his natural approach to suit the specific demands of the game as conditions evolved.
“He’s been bowling extremely well. It’s just that the situations that arose in Galle, he had to play a different role. So that’s all he had to adapt to, and he tried his best to adapt to that role and tried to execute as much as possible,” Bahutule said.
Throughout the first Test, Kuldeep was observed operating with a flatter trajectory rather than his traditional style of giving the ball flight. Explaining the tactical adjustment, Bahutule pointed out that varying speeds and trajectories became essential across different sessions as the pitch began to slow down.
“We had to see how the trajectory or the speeds work in every session. And as the days went by, and as there was a demand for different types of speeds and different types of trajectories, he definitely was making an effort to bowl that,” the spin coach explained.
Bahutule reinforced that Kuldeep continued to bowl to his core strengths as a wrist-spinner under demanding conditions. “He was playing his role. Each bowler has his own strengths. He was operating as a wrist-spinner in a way, where obviously the wicket got slower and slower each day. But I’m sure he was bowling the way he normally bowls,” he added.
Turning his focus to rookie spinner Manav Suthar, Bahutule praised the youngster’s deep understanding of his craft, attributing it to extensive domestic experience in the Ranji Trophy.
“He’s somebody who, since he’s been bowling, has bowled a lot in domestic cricket in the Ranji Trophy. He’s done the hard yards, and he’s come into international cricket. So he understands his bowling well,” Bahutule stated.
Highlighting the coaching staff’s focus regarding Suthar, Bahutule emphasized developing match awareness across diverse conditions, pitch types, and batter profiles.
“What we try to do is see how we can get that awareness of bowling in different conditions, different pitches, different batters, left-hand, right-hand, what is the need at that particular time, what would be the most effective way and what will be the ideal fields,” he said.
Bahutule lauded Suthar’s accuracy and consistency, labeling him a reliable asset for the bowling attack. “He’s very accurate; his trajectories are just getting better and better, puts in a lot on the ball, the revs are good, and he is somebody who’s like a banker for us, consistently being in the lengths which we want to,” Bahutule noted. “We keep it very simple, to be honest, not complicate things and work on his strengths.”
India secured a comprehensive 165-run victory over Sri Lanka in the first Test. The win was powered by Devdutt Padikkal’s stellar 167-run knock in the first innings alongside Manav Suthar’s maiden 10-wicket match haul.
