The Indian chinaman bowler, Kuldeep Yadav was missing from India’s playing XI for the first Test against England in Chennai on Friday. Kuldeep was ignored for the game as the Indian team management decided to go with three specialist spinners Ravichandran Ashwin, Washington Sundar, and Shahbaz Nadeem in the starting XI.
Kuldeep’s exclusion became the talk of the town on Day 1 as India and England embarked the 4-match Test series, on Friday. Tweeting about the same, Michael Vaughan wrote: “Ridiculous decision by #India not to play @imkuldeep18 [Kuldeep Yadav] !!! If he isn’t going to play at home with the injuries they have when is he going to play !!!”
Ridiculous decision by #India not to play @imkuldeep18 !!! If he isn’t going to play at home with the injuries they have when is he going to play !!! #INDvENG
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) February 5, 2021
On the other hand, former Indian wicket-keeper, Deep Dasgupta feels that there was ‘an opportunity’ to field Kuldeep Yadav in the playing XI as Axar Patel got injured ahead of the 1st Test. Kuldeep, a ‘match-winner’, could have played alongside Ashwin and Sundar in the 1st Test against England but India went for Nadeem instead.
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During a chat on Sports Today, Deep Dasgupta said, “In Australia, there was an opportunity [ for Kuldeep to get selected] he did not. Here [Chepauk] there was a great opportunity again, so where does he stand now? I think that’s an important question. Someone like him needs to get an answer. I mean what does he have to do, where does he have to do in the pecking order.”
He further added, “Maybe some clarity is required because he is young, he’s got a lot of cricket left. Maybe he needs to be given some direction in terms of what is expected of him when he needs to improve. How he wants to go about it. I think he’s got a lot of cricket left in him, he’s a really good bowler. He’s a match-winner.”
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The 26-year-old chinaman hasn’t played single Test match since the one against Australia in January 2019.
