Hardik, Kuldeep and Chahal are likely to feature in the playing XI against South Africa.
Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav on Monday (6th June) said that ‘fully fit’ Hardik Pandya returning to the team is a good sign for both him and his spin-twin Yuzvendra Chahal.
Pandya’s fitness issue not only saw him getting out of the team but also led to the fall of Kulcha (Kuldeep and Chahal). The presence of an all-rounder allowed Indian team management to play both the spinners together.
The trio has had their downs and was dropped from the Indian side. But they made a staggering comeback in IPL 2022 and made many aware of the fact that they still deserve a place in the Indian side and are an integral part of the team.
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While Chahal and Kuldeep took 27 and 21 wickets respectively, Pandya scored 487 runs and also claimed 8 wickets in the IPL 15. Their performances saw them being named in the Indian squad for the upcoming T20I series against South Africa. It is expected that they will feature together in the playing XI.
In an interview with Sports Yaari, Kuldeep Yadav said that he’s happy with Hardik Pandya being 100% fit. He talked about how the all-rounder struggled with his injury and added that he’s delighted with the former’s comeback.
"I'm very happy that he is 100% fit. It has been a very tough time for Hardik. He had his back injury, he couldn't bowl, he lost a lot of weight as well. I know how a player makes a comeback after injury, so my support was directed towards him. I'm very happy with his performances now,” Kuldeep Yadav said.
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Kuldeep lauded Pandya for leading ‘not a very big team’ Gujarat Titans to the IPL victory. Adding that the all-rounder returning to the team is a good sign for him and Chahal as they can both play.
"Gujarat Titans weren't a very big team, but the way he handled the pressure and took the team along together, the credit must go to him. He led the team calmly. It's a good sign for the Indian team and, obviously, a good sign for us. We (KulCha) are definitely happy with his return. I want him to return to XI and play soon," he said.
The five-match T20I series between India and South Africa is slated to begin on 9th June in Delhi, followed by the second and third games on 12th and 14th June in Cuttack and Vishakhapatnam respectively. The fourth and fifth match is slated to take place on the 17th and 19th of June in Rajkot and Bengaluru.
(Sports Yaari inputs)