'India didn't play their best two spinners': Madan Lal on spin duo's poor outing

Former India all-rounder Madan Lal called out spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Krunal Pandya for their poor outing with the ball in the second ODI against England at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Friday. He said he had never seen spinner bowl so 'poorly' in any form of cricket.

During a discussion on Sports Tak, Madan Lal stated that the hosts didn't play their "best two spinners" in the second game.

“When Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow got going, the Indian spinners at the time - Krunal Pandya and Kuldeep Yadav - did not bowl well. I have never seen the spinners bowl so poorly in any form of cricket ever. Every bowler gets hit (by the batsmen), but if you have to get hit, at least, let them be good deliveries, that way there will be chances for the bowlers, but you should not be bowling such poor deliveries. I don’t think India played their best two spinners in the match,” said Madan Lal.

India, after posting 336/6 in their 50 overs, courtesy a century from KL Rahul and fifties from skipper Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant, lost the second ODI by six wickets as England sailed to victory in just 43.3 overs. Jonny Bairstow starred for the visitors with an entertaining knock of 124 runs, while Ben Stokes and Jason Roy smashed 99 and 55, respectively. Kuldeep Yadav returned with figures of 0/84 in his 10 overs, while Pandya gave away 72 runs in his six overs. In total, England scored 156 runs in their 16 overs.

Madal Lal also observed that Yadav has lost his turn and accuracy, which were his main weapons, and is no more the wicket-taking bowler he used to be.

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“Kuldeep Yadav, maybe he is short of game time, but in his bowling, the flight that he earlier use to give the ball and the turn he had, although this wasn’t a turning wicket, but he does not have the spin that he earlier had. He bowled a lot of short-pitched deliveries on Friday. Krunal Pandya was not sure on where he had to bowl. Rarely have I seen spinners bowling in such a way in international cricket where they are unsure on where to bowl, and that too they were bowling in such a manner to Ben Stokes, who is a powerful hitter,” concluded Madan Lal.

Washington Sundar and Yuzvendra Chahal have warmed the bench in the first two ODIs. Since Krunal has impressed with the bat, he could keep his place. But things don't look as bright for Kuldeep, who well could make way for Chahal.

The three-match ODI series is nicely poised at 1-1 and the decider will take place on Sunday, March 28 at the same venue in Pune.