3rd ODI: Exclusion from playing eleven can affect Kuldeep's rhythm and confidence, says Ashwin
London, July 19
Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Sunday questioned the team management's decision to repeatedly bench premier left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav, warning that such frequent exclusions could severely damage a bowler's confidence.
In the absence of injured pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and Washington Sundar being ruled out due to hamstring injury, Kuldeep was still overlooked for Sunday's ongoing ODI series decider at Lord's. It meant that India are playing four pacers and a lone spinner in left-arm spin bowling all-rounder Axar Patel, with no sixth bowling option in their line-up.
"The only defense for not playing Kuldeep usually is that the batting finishes at number 7, wonder how it feels to have Arshdeep at number 8 today! Adding Bumrah's absence to that, one can only feel bad for Kuldeep. Trust me, this can affect the rhythm and confidence of a bowler," Ashwin stated on his 'X' account on Sunday.
Kuldeep has now sat out three of India's all ODIs in England after being rested from the T20I leg of the tour. Even during the preceding home ODI series against Afghanistan, Kuldeep featured in just one game, returning figures of 0-42 in Lucknow.
The Indian team management has usually preferred Axar and Washington as they bolster batting depth. While Axar and Washington have justified their selection with all-round performances, Kuldeep's primary skill continues to be overlooked due to his lower-order batting limitations.
The left-arm wrist-spinner has endured a tough run lately after having a challenging IPL 2026 campaign for Delhi Capitals. Post the tournament's end, Kuldeep made a switch to Lucknow Super Giants via a trade deal which saw Rishabh Pant moving back to Delhi Capitals. While Kuldeep boasts an incredibly impressive career record of 194 wickets in 121 ODIs, his continuous non-selection still leaves many people curious.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As an overseas fan, I find it strange that India isn't playing their best spinner in England. Kuldeep has 194 ODI wickets - that's world-class numbers. Axar is good but he's not a like-for-like replacement. The team's obsession with batting deep is costing them variety in the attack.
Ashwin has hit the nail on the head. Kuldeep needs consistent game time to find his rhythm. You can't expect him to just walk in and perform after sitting out for so many matches. Management needs to back him properly or just let him go to play for another team. 🤷♀️
Honestly, I get the logic of wanting batting depth in ODIs, but you can't keep dropping a wrist-spinner of Kuldeep's quality. Even if he's expensive at times, he can pick wickets in the middle overs. Right now, our attack looks too one-dimensional without him.
Surprised to see Kuldeep not getting a game even with Bumrah and Washington out. Ashwin makes a valid point - this kind of uncertainty can mess with a bowler's head. India need to decide if they want a specialist spinner or not. You can't have it both ways.
Ashwin is absolutely right. Kuldeep is a rare talent - a left-arm wrist-spinner who has dismissed the best in the world. But if management keeps treating him like a backup option, he'll lose confidence and we'll lose a gem. Time to give him a proper run in the XI. 🔥
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