India spinner Kuldeep Yadav has opened up about his recent struggles to secure a regular place in the national team, admitting that it hurts when the team management does not consider him part of the best playing XI. The left-arm wrist-spinner has faced several notable omissions across formats despite continuing to perform well whenever opportunities come his way.
Kuldeep enjoyed a consistent run during Rahul Dravid’s tenure as India head coach from November 2021 to June 2024. He featured in 60 matches across formats during that period. Under current head coach Gautam Gambhir, however, his opportunities have reduced significantly, with Kuldeep playing only 38 matches so far.
The spinner has faced several selection setbacks in recent months. During India’s three-match ODI series against England, the team opted for four specialist seamers in the final game instead of including Kuldeep.Yadav He was also left out of the second Test against Sri Lanka after receiving limited opportunities in the opening match, with off-spinner Saransh Jain preferred in the playing XI.
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“Sometimes you just have to go with the team combination or strategy, unfortunately or fortunately. Definitely you feel bad for yourself when you’re not playing, when you’re not part of the playing XI,” Kuldeep Yadav told talkSPORT.
The 31-year-old admitted that every player wants to feature when selected in the squad, but team combinations can sometimes work against them.
‘Definitely feel bad for yourself’: Kuldeep Yadav on India Test snubshttps://t.co/pFbYoxLA2o
— Express Sports (@IExpressSports) September 15, 2026
“You want to play because when you are in the squad you want to play, but sometimes it doesn’t happen because of whatever the management thinks… Last year, I was hoping to get a chance in a few games, but it’s okay. Maybe next time.”
With limited opportunities for India, Kuldeep Yadav recently turned to county cricket to gain valuable match practice. His stint with Yorkshire proved highly successful, as he claimed 10 wickets in three matches at an impressive average of 12. Kuldeep believes English county cricket offers valuable experience, particularly for batters and spinners who want to learn how to adapt to different conditions.
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“I personally feel it’s (English county experience) very good for batters and spinners. Obviously, you will see seaming conditions here and there, but you play here to get used to the challenges you face.” With Varun Chakravarthy currently sidelined through injury, Kuldeep could have an opportunity to return to India’s T20I setup. However, it remains to be seen whether the team management decides to bring him back into the squad.
