Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan has suggested that Team India needs to compromise on batting depth in order to fit wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav in the Indian XI ahead of the Adelaide ODI on October 23.

He further added Nitish Reddy should be bowling seven to eight overs while playing as the third pacer and increase the batting. This comes after India lost the first ODI in Perth on October 19 to Australia.

India left Kuldeep out of their starting XI, but Irfan believed the team needed to find a way to accommodate him. He proposed that Nitish bowl more overs and play the role of a third pacer.

This would make a place for Kuldeep. While conceding the difficulty of balancing the team, Irfan emphasized that a bowler like Kuldeep might represent a significant danger to Australia's middle order.

“Can Kuldeep Yadav fit into the XI? How can you make a place for him? Either Nitish gives you seven to eight overs so that he can play as the third pacer and increase the batting, and you can play Kuldeep as well.

But what is the Indian team doing? You want batting till eight. It isn’t easy to run the team, and I understand. But Kuldeep is such a bowler who can get the better of this Aussie batting, whose middle order is vulnerable," Irfan said on his YouTube channel.

Indian team management has opted for batting depth, sacrificing Kuldeep Yadav’s spot. Offering another option, Irfan suggested that India could let Harshit Rana bat at No. 8 if they believed he could play well and bolster the lower order.

Irfan added that India could then play Kuldeep in place of Washington Sundar.

“India can take some risk. If you think Harshit has the potential to be the bowler who can bat at eight, then put him into the pool and let him swim. If you can make him bat there, you can get three pacers and play Kuldeep in place of Washington," Irfan said. 

The second ODI will be played in Adelaide on October 23.