"We rate him very highly": Gambhir backs Kuldeep ahead of second Sri Lanka Test

Colombo [Sri Lanka]: India head coach Gautam Gambhir backed Kuldeep Yadav ahead of the second Test against Sri Lanka, saying the focus for the wrist-spinner should be on "taking wickets" while maintaining control rather than being "desperate" to take wickets.

Speaking on Kuldeep's role in the team during the pre-match press conference on Saturday, Gambhir said, "We know how good a bowler he is. For me, the conversation has to be to take wickets rather than looking desperate to take wickets because sometimes, as a wrist spinner, when you're desperate to take wickets, your control can go away as well," Gambhir said.

The India head coach further said, "For a very long period of time, we rate Kuldeep very highly, and we know how successful he has been. But again, as I said, we're going to try and pick the best attack in these conditions," he added.


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Gambhir also expressed his preference for a three-match Test series.

"Ideally, I would want a three-match Test series. I've always believed that there should always be a possibility that a team losing the first Test match can come back and win the series," Gambhir said.

"You can't do that in a two-Test series. The most you can do is draw the series. A short turnaround between Tests is fine. Other teams are doing that as well," he added.

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India defeated Sri Lanka by 165 runs in the first Test, with Manav Suthar claiming a maiden 10-wicket haul and Devdutt Padikkal scoring 167 runs in the first innings.

India will take on Sri Lanka in the second Test of the series in Colombo, beginning on Sunday.