Not Jasprit Bumrah or Ravindra Jadeja: Matthew Hayden backs 30-year-old Indian bowler to play a key role against England
Matthew Hayden has stated that Kuldeep Yadav could be a key figure for India in their five-match Test series against England, starting on June 20. With Ravichandran Ashwin retired, Kuldeep is expected to take on the role of India’s second lead spinner after Ravindra Jadeja. Kuldeep has only played in one Test in England.
During his speech at the launch of the Australian Summer of Cricket 2025-26, Hayden expressed his anticipation regarding India’s performance in England. He recognised the upcoming series as a challenging one, likely to test the character of the young Indian squad. Hayden further mentioned that, for India to succeed, Kuldeep needs to secure at least 20 wickets during the series. He also pointed out that Nathan Lyon has been a consistent performer for Australia, underscoring the importance of having a reliable spinner in every team.
Hayden shared, “Looking ahead, I’m really intrigued to see how India will perform in England. Five Tests is a tough series that will test their character. As we mentioned earlier, someone like Kuldeep Yadav could play a crucial role, potentially taking 20 wickets for them. We’ve been fortunate to have Nathan Lyon’s consistency, and his absence during the last Ashes series really highlighted the impact of losing a dependable spinner. The most successful teams, across every era, have always had one key factor in common stability.”
When discussing Australia’s prospects in the World Test Championship final, Hayden noted that while the team’s core players have experienced some shifts, Australia still stands as a formidable contender in this cycle.
He continued, “We still have a solid core in the team, but things are starting to evolve. How much longer will Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja continue playing? These are the questions around players like them.”
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