Kuldeep Yadav Ends Year-Long Test Hiatus, Named in India XI Against West Indies

Kuldeep Yadav's wait for a Test comeback finally ended on Thursday as the left-arm wrist-spinner was named in India's playing XI for the opening match of the two-Test series against the West Indies at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

The 30-year-old comes into the red-ball fold on the back of a stellar Asia Cup campaign, where he finished as the tournament's leading wicket-taker with 17 scalps in seven matches. Despite his white-ball dominance, Kuldeep had warmed the bench throughout the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England earlier this year. The team management has now turned to him for the Caribbean challenge.

This will be Kuldeep's first Test appearance since February 2024, when he featured in the Bengaluru Test against New Zealand. "It's definitely his time in red-ball cricket. I was very disappointed when he didn't get a go in the England series," former India wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel said on JioHotstar before the toss.

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While Kuldeep has been a regular feature in India's ODI and T20I squads, his opportunities in Test cricket have been sporadic. The presence of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja as first-choice spinners in India's spin-friendly conditions has often left him on the sidelines, despite his ability to provide a unique wrist-spin option. In 13 Tests, Kuldeep has taken 56 wickets at 2.33 wickets per innings, including four five-wicket hauls and three four-wicket hauls.

Devdutt Padikkal was overlooked, while Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy were included. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj will spearhead the pace attack, with Axar Patel and Kuldeep handling spin duties. Dhruv Jurel will keep wickets in the absence of Rishabh Pant, who is recovering from a foot injury sustained during the England series.

West Indies, seeking their first Test win in India in nearly three decades, won the toss under new captain Roston Chase and opted to bat on an unusually green pitch. Shubman Gill noted that while the pitch might assist pacers early on, spin would play a role as the game progressed.

The Caribbean side has also made changes, with Tagenarine Chanderpaul returning as opener and Brandon King moving down the order. Injuries to Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, and Jason Holder have weakened their pace attack, while Johann Layne makes his Test debut alongside Khary Pierre, finally rewarded for his consistent performances in domestic cricket.