We haven't ousted anyone but made use of opportunities that we got," was how young chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav responded when asked if Yuzvendra Chahal and his performances have literally shut the ODI door on veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.
The wrist spinner duo of Chahal and Kuldeep have been regular feature in India's ODI format confining finger spinner Ashwin to the sidelines and relegating Ravindra Jadeja as the third specialist spinner.
"No, no, not at all. We haven't ousted anyone. It's just that we have got the opportunities and we did well. They (Ashwin and Jadeja) have always been doing well for India. In Test matches, Ash (Ravichandran Ashwin) and Jaddu Bhai (Ravindra Jadeja) are still playing," Kuldeep said on the eve of the second ODI.
Since it was a leading question, Kuldeep made an extra effort to make it clear that the perception of wrist spinners getting preferential treatment compared to finger spinners.
"We learn a lot from them (Ashwin and Jadeja). They have a lot of experience. When I am in the Test squad, I learn a lot from them. Whenever we got an opportunity, for me and Chahal, we have performed for the team and that helped the team to win, so happy about it," Kuldeep waxed eloquent about the kind of relation that the duo share with the senior pair.
In the first game, Kuldeep bowled well and got two wickets while Jadeja despite going wicketless was very economical.