28 June,2019 02:55 PM IST | | mid-day online desk
Kuldeep Yadav and Kedar Jadhav celebrate a wicket
India's lead spinner Kuldeep Yadav has said that India has shown that we can defend small totals. India successfully defended a score of 224 against Afghanistan and 268 versus West Indies.
In the match against West Indies, all of India's five front line bowlers, including Hardik Pandya, took wickets and restricted the opposition.
The all-round efforts show that India's bowling attack is not just about the world's number one bowler Jasprit Bumrah.
"Jasprit has been bowling really well and has been for a couple of years since his international debut," said Kuldeep, who took 1/35 including the crucial wicket of Nicholas Pooran for 28 against the West Indies.
"Then you have (Mohammed) Shami, who was only playing his second game and bowled really well. We've got a good fast bowling attack, as well as spinners.
"We're just looking for the team combination. We're doing really well as a bowling attack and that is important. In the last game (against Afghanistan) we defended 225 and showed we can defend a total like this."
The match turned out to be a one-sided affair, but West Indies were in the hunt after India's batting.
Kemar Roach's three wickets had helped them put India under pressure, but Mahendra Singh Dhoni (56 not out) and Hardik Pandya (46) made crucial contributions.
"We played really well. At one moment we were looking at 250 and then Mahendra and Hardik gave us a good total," Kuldeep said.
"270 was really good on this track. Later the ball was spinning a bit and that gave us momentum. Shami picking up two early wickets was huge for us, then Hardik got one and I got one so it was a really satisfying performance."
India face England at Edgbaston on June 201, 2019. The match will be crucial for England if the hosts are to qualify for the semi-finals.
With inputs from PTI
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