The Performance Dip of Kuldeep Yadav and Chahal: Is Dhoni’s Absence the Primary Cause?

Saying that the dip in form of the duo of Kuldeep-Chahal is the result of Dhoni’s absence behind the stumps would be an over-simplification. However, I do believe that the abovementioned reason holds a strong significance in their performance dip. Following are the possible reasons for the performance dip.

Game-time and Recent Match Seasons

The duo and especially Kuldeep have played only a handful of matches since the pandemic. Now, Chahal doesn’t play Tests for India, whereas Kuldeep was selected in the overall squad almost every time. However, he didn’t make it to the playing XI quite regularly, often warming the bench. Being a part of the squad without playing any matches means that Kuldeep was neither playing international nor domestic cricket. If you’re a bowler, it’s pretty easy to lose your rhythm in such a situation. It's also worth noting that Kuldeep hasn't played much cricket in the IPL, which makes it all the more worrisome. As per everyone, he's good enough to be kept in the squad but not good enough to make it to the playing XI.

The Absence of a Spin-Bowling Coach

Team India has had the services of a fast-bowling coach, but they cannot necessarily understand the woes of a spinner. It is crucial to appoint someone at the helm of affairs who understands the art of spin bowling and can help spinners come out of their rough patches. The recent changes in domestic cricket pitch types, coupled with a focus on producing quality fast bowlers, have meant that spin has been taken for granted by the authorities. Quality back-ups of current spinners like Ashwin, Jadeja, and Kuldeep Chahal have become a rare breed themselves.

MS Dhoni's Absence Behind the Stumps

Yes, the absence of MS Dhoni behind the stumps has significantly hampered the spin duo's performance. Kuldeep and Chahal both don't look half the bowlers they used to be earlier, which is evident from the following stats. I echo what numerous cricketers have said - I haven't seen anybody read the game better than MS Dhoni. As a keeper, he was always in a position to understand the game well, and his match awareness and strategy often got the better of batsmen.

With MS behind the stumps, bowlers, especially spinners, had the luxury to understand half the game, letting MS help them with the other half. Be it field placement, pitch position, or line and length, MS was spot on most of the time, owing to his immense experience and street-smartness. While Pant has been an amazing replacement in terms of keeping and batsmanship, he's young and only with experience will he be able to help the spinners with their strategy against the batsman.

The only way out looks to be recalling Ravi Ashwin, who's in the form of his life in the limited overs squad. With a fit Jadeja pair and the leggies released to play domestic and league cricket, they can get their confidence back up.

Remember the game where MS jokingly told Kuldeep that he’d change the bowler if he’d not bowl and kept insisting on changing the field placement. This one incident shows how adept MS was at reading the game and how confident he was of that skill.

In conclusion, while Dhoni's absence is a significant factor, it isn't the only one. Game-time, the lack of a spin-bowling coach, and the changing dynamics of domestic cricket all play a role in the performance dip of Kuldeep and Chahal. Only time and experience will determine if they can regain their former prowess.