India have a huge advantage in this Champions Trophy, knowing that they are playing every match in Dubai, where the pitches are fairly tired-looking after the ILT20 tournament. They have planned well, with an array of excellent spin bowlers. That said, they are blessed with three of the best left arm spinner they have ever produced, all in the same team. (And no I haven’t forgotten Bishen Bedi.)
The big asset is, as the video above explains, that they all have contrasting qualities. Ravi Jadeja is the most orthodox but varies his pace cleverly, whips through his overs, and bowls from noticeably closer to the stumps than Axar Patel who is wider and slingier and tends to undercut the ball. And then there is the wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav who has the orthodox left armers leg spinner and the googly which few batters seem to be able to pick. Also, he bowls from almost infront of the umpire so bowls very much wicket to wicket.
In the Champions Trophy so far they have a combined 7 wickets in two matches, with an economy rate under 5. The team that cracks this left arm code will be the one that can upset India as the tournament progresses. Perhaps the team with the most top order left handed batters, who are naturally more effective against left arm spinners.. Could that be New Zealand?
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