'I would play them in all 3 ODIs': VVS Laxman picks India bowlers for Sri Lanka series

VVS Laxman said India should play both Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal in ODI series against Sri Lanka starting on July 13.

Former India batsman VVS Laxman said he wants to see wrist spinners Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav play together in all three ODIs of the upcoming Sri Lanka series starting from July 13. Laxman said if Kuldeep and Chahal play all the ODIs and bowl their full quota of 10 overs then it will give them confidence ahead of the T20 World Cup slated to begin in October this year.

VVS Laxman wants Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav to play all three ODIs (Getty Images)

In the Sri Lanka ODIs and T20Is, which will be India’s last white-ball series before the word event, both Chahal and Kuldeep would be looking to put their best foot forward as the wrist spinners have not been at their best in the recent outings.

“I would like to see them (Kuldeep Yadav & Yuzvendra Chahal) play in three ODIs,” Laxman said on Star Sports’ Show Game Plan.

Laxman said Kuldeep needs confidence and that can be attained only by bowling in matches.

“I think in ODIs, each bowler will get to play 10 overs. So, the more overs they bowl, the more success they have, they will get back the confidence – especially Kuldeep Yadav. Yuzvendra Chahal is a successful and experienced bowler, he is high on confidence and a very important member, keeping in mind the T20 World Cup. I think Kuldeep requires to get his confidence back,” Laxman added.

Chahal and Kuldeep had fast-risen to be India’s premier spinners in white-ball cricket after the 2017 Champions Trophy. But the left-arm wrist spinner’s dip in form meant the due hardly played together in the last couple of years.

Kuldeep, in fact, lost his place in the side and Chahal too went for runs in the last series against England.

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan said it will be easier for India to play Kuldeep and Chahal together if all-rounder Hardik Pandya starts bowling regularly.

“The only way you can get confidence is by playing matches. And if he keeps bowling more and more overs, this is where his lost confidence will come back. He has been a very successful bowler in a short span of time for Indian cricket. He has been one of the quickest to take 100 wickets and he is a wicket-taker. As far as the rest of the team is concerned, you need to give him the confidence. So, I am looking forward to see, not only Kuldeep and Chahal bowling together, but I am hoping that Hardik Pandya starts bowling. What I am hearing is that if he starts bowling, then it makes it easier to play both of them,” Pathan said.