Wrist spinners Kuldeep, Chahal make a point against Sri Lanka

COLOMBO:Virat Kohli believes taking wickets are the way to prosper in limited-overs cricket and wrist spinners provide the best option to keep striking.

The India skipper would have been convinced about his outlook after leg-spinner Yuzhvendra Chahal and Chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav together delivered the goods in the one-off T20I against Sri Lanka at the Premadasa Stadium. If patience and flight were the virtues for spinners of old, and in Test cricket even now, it’s temperament and the ability to second-guess batsmen are key to T20 success.

Chahal, 27, went for 14 runs in his first over as he was targeted early on, but the diminutive Haryana bowler showed why Kohli, also his RCB skipper, trusts him by making a strong comeback. He eventually finished with 3/43. Kuldeep was miserly, going for just 2/20 in his four overs that made up for Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah going for runs.

Chahal got Angelo Mathews stumped. Thisara Perera then hit him for a six only to be beaten by subtle turn as he could only play onto the stumps.

The 22-year-old Yadav was the one who controlled Sri Lanka’s scoring. He gave away just 11 runs in his first three overs. In fact, Ashan Priyanjan, who made 40 not out, had no clue initially against Yadav. Dilshan Munaweera was beaten by Yadav’s googly, swishing air with the bat flying off his hands as he was bowled. Seekuge Prasanna too failed to judge the pace, hitting straight to Kohli at midwicket.

In the last ODI at the venue on Sunday, the two spinners together gave away only 76 runs in 20 overs, taking a wicket each.