Playing in all formats for India is a luxury: Kuldeep Yadav

Guwahati, Nov 20 (PTI) India left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav has acknowledged that playing all three formats "is a luxury" but an attacking mindset has kept him relevant in the face of stiff competition.

Kuldeep returned home from Australia mid-way through a five-match T20I series to prepare for the South Africa Tests and made a decent impact in Kolkata, taking four wickets despite the hosts losing by 30 runs.

With 342 wickets across formats, Kuldeep's utility cannot be understated and he wants to continue focusing on match fitness in order to remain relevant in the longest format of the game, if not all.

"Obviously, you want to play in all formats, but if you get a chance to play Test cricket, you enjoy it. Playing in all formats for India is a luxury," Kuldeep said on JioStar's 'Follow The Blues'.

"Everyone loves Test cricket. It's a format that everyone enjoys, but it's also very challenging. The next 4-5 years are very important for me in Test cricket, so I will focus on maintaining my fitness and keep performing like this," he added.

Kuldeep added that he has clarity about his role and the support of the team management, which helps him go in matches with an attacking mindset.

"I am very clear as an attacking bowler, I know my role over the years. The coach and the captain have given me a lot of clarity and support. I always keep an attacking mindset and bowl accordingly. That's my job; taking wickets. That's how they (coaches) look at me." India pacer Mohammed Siraj said competing against tough teams like South Africa helps players learn and gain confidence.

"When you're playing against a good team, and you're bowling against good batsmen and taking their wickets, you get a lot of confidence. Because when you play against a strong team, you quickly realise where you're making a mistake.

"So, it's good that I'm playing against a team like South Africa. It's a lot of fun," said Siraj.

Tea before lunch =========== With early sunrise and sunset in the northeast region around this time of the year, the Guwahati Test will see tea being taken before the lunch break to maximise daylight hours and complete the required quota of overs.

It's a routine in day-night Tests, but the BCCI took the decision for a day Test owing to the fast fading light in north-east parts of the country.

South Africa batter Aiden Markram said while it would be an "interesting" departure from the norm, he was not the biggest fan of the concept.

"It's interesting. I'm not the biggest fan of it, to be honest. I think Test cricket should always start at 10 a.m. with lunch followed by tea. But those are the cards you're dealt, and you just get on with it. It'll be something different to experience, but hopefully, it doesn't become a common thing." Proteas spinner Keshav Maharaj said the reigning World Test champions were here to compete irrespective of the changes in the routine.

"We actually heard about it (tea before lunch) recently. It's an interesting one, but you can understand the thinking behind it. Sunlight becomes a factor, so they're trying to maximise playing time.

"We respect the rules put in place, and we're here to compete and give our best as a South African unit," said Maharaj. PTI AM AM UNG