Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav was once again omitted from the playing XI in the ODI against Australia in Perth. Despite being the Player of the Match in India’s last Test against the West Indies in Delhi, Kuldeep remained on the bench as India struggled against the hosts at Optus Stadium.
This exclusion continues a trend for Kuldeep, who has often been dropped despite delivering impressive performances whenever given the chance. Despite being part of the Indian international setup for over eight years, Kuldeep has only played in 113 ODIs, 15 Tests, and 47 T20Is, which is relatively low considering his impact in many of those matches.
While Kuldeep’s role in T20Is has diminished over time, he still gets selected for ODI and Test squads. However, his opportunities to play, especially in overseas tours, have been limited.
Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin criticized the treatment of Kuldeep, expressing concern about the potential damage to the bowler’s confidence by repeatedly benching him. Ashwin warned that there might come a point where Kuldeep loses motivation.
Ashwin also questioned the team composition, particularly the decision to exclude Kuldeep despite having Nitish Reddy as the third seamer in the squad. Since making his ODI debut in 2017, Kuldeep has played in only three out of seven ODIs in Australia, with mixed performances.
In the recent series, Washington Sundar was preferred over Kuldeep, similar to the scenario during India’s tour of England earlier this year. Sundar’s inclusion, primarily for his batting ability, has raised questions about the team’s strategy and the preference for certain player attributes over others.
As India looks ahead in the series, concerns are growing over the handling of Kuldeep Yadav. The repeated exclusions of a proven match-winner like Kuldeep raise doubts not only about team selection but also about how India manages and supports its key players.