New Delhi [India], September 14 (ANI): The inclusion of pacer Yash Dayal in India’s squad for the upcoming home series against Bangladesh aims to address the absence of a left-arm pacer in India’s red-ball cricket since the retirement of the legendary Zaheer Khan in 2014.

The two-match Test series between India and Bangladesh is set to commence on September 19 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, with the second Test slated to begin on September 27 in Kanpur. This series will also mark head coach Gautam Gambhir’s first Test assignment, where he will be eager to secure a series victory.

India boasts a formidable bowling lineup featuring spinners such as Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and Axar Patel, complemented by pacers Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, and Ishant Sharma. This robust bowling unit has been instrumental in India’s unbeaten home series streak since 2013.

Historical data from Wisden reveals that since the end of World War II in 1945, a total of 349 fast bowlers have bowled in at least 20 innings in men’s Tests. Out of these, 49 pacers have been left-armers. India has seen six left-arm quicks among the 29 pacers who have bowled at least 20 innings in Tests from WWII’s end to the present. Notable left-arm pacers from the 1960s and 1970s include Rusi Surti (45 innings, 42 wickets) and Karsan Ghavri (69 innings, 109 wickets).

The late 1990s saw a resurgence of talented left-armers in India’s red-ball setup with the emergence of Ashish Nehra (1999), Zaheer Khan (2000), Irfan Pathan (2003), and RP Singh (2006). Zaheer Khan turned out to be the only long-term left-armer, playing 92 Tests, bowling in 165 innings, and taking 311 Test wickets. Irfan Pathan, known for his utility with the bat, played in 29 Tests and took 100 wickets in 54 innings between 2003-2008.

Ashish Nehra had a relatively short Test career with 17 Tests between 1999-2004, taking 44 wickets in 25 innings. Similarly, RP Singh played just 14 Tests from 2006-2011, capturing 40 wickets in 25 innings.

Since Zaheer Khan’s retirement in February 2014, India has struggled to field a consistent left-arm pacer in Test cricket. The combined Test match experience of Indian left-armers post-Zak is merely four matches—three by Jaydev Unadkat and one by T Natrajan. Only Afghanistan has lesser Test match experience for left-armers.

Despite this absence not hampering India’s success—thanks to dominant spinners on home soil and robust right-arm quicks—a left-armer provides a unique balance to the team. Left-arm pacers break the rhythm established by right-arm bowlers and offer a different angle to batsmen, which can prove challenging. Additionally, a left-armer bowling from over the wicket can create rough patches outside a right-hand batter’s off-stump, aiding off-spinners during the later stages of a Test match.

Yash Dayal’s selection signifies a potential shift towards a profile-first approach. During the white-ball series against Sri Lanka, Gambhir’s first assignment as head coach, India experimented with right-left combinations throughout the series.

For Yash Dayal, this selection is a redemption story following his ordeal of being hit for five consecutive sixes by Rinku Singh during a tense IPL match between Gujarat Titans (GT) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). After a two-year stint with Gujarat Titans from 2022-23 where he took 13 wickets in 14 games and lifted the IPL title, Dayal had an impressive season with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) this year. He claimed 18 wickets in 15 matches and delivered crucial performances helping RCB achieve six successive wins to make it to the playoffs.

In first-class cricket, Yash Dayal has taken 76 wickets in 24 matches at an average of 28.89, with best figures of 5/48. Recently, he took three wickets for India B in their Duleep Trophy win over India A, including a notable spell of 3/50 in the fourth innings.

India’s squad for the first Test against Bangladesh includes: Rohit Sharma (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah, and Yash Dayal. (ANI)