With the Indian team management showing faith in spin all-rounders Axar Patel and Washington Sundar in the first ODI at Perth in the three-match ODI series against hosts Australia, it meant that wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav was not in the final XI. Yadav, who was the leading wicket-taker in Asia Cup with 17 wickets, has had a phenomenal year in white-ball cricket having picked up seven wickets during India’s title triumph in ICC Champions Trophy including two crucial wickets against New Zealand in the final. With Yadav being dropped with all-rounder Nitish Reddy being the third all-rounder after Patel and Sundar, former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has questioned the move to drop Yadav at the big grounds in Australia.
“I can understand why there are two spinners playing in the team, along with Nitish Reddy. They want that batting depth, because Axar and Washington can bat, but bowling ke upar bhi thoda dhyan dedo yaar (concentrate on bowling as well). In these big grounds, if Kuldeep can’t bowl with a lot of freedom, then where will he play? And there will be overspin, which will get him more bounce. See, I understand that they will talk about this batting depth, but if that is going to help you win games, then batters should be able to take the responsibility. If they are playing extra batters, then they are again shielding the batting line-up. I will always say, play your best bowlers. Don’t pick a player only because you want to extend your batting. Kitne all-rounders chahiye aapko (How many all-rounders do you want)? You already have three. Even after having Nitish in the side, if you can’t play your best bowlers, then I can’t get it at all,” Ashwin said on his Youtube channel Ash ki Baat.
Yadav, who has so far played in 113 ODIs in his career picking up 181 wickets at an average of 26.44, was the top wicket-taker in the world in the ODI format in 2023 claiming 49 wickets at an average of 20.4. The Indian spinner claimed 15 wickets in the 2023 ODI World Cup, where India reached the final. With India losing the first ODi at Perth by seven wickets, Yadav watched the loss from the dug-out and Ashwin believes that such things causes a ‘lot of debate within the player’. “I feel when a player gets dropped, he or she questions themselves: “Am I the reason the team will lose?” Kuldeep might have the same question in mind. If, after such good performances, he gets dropped and someone else gets a chance, he might be thinking he is the problem in the team. Whether he is or not is different, but this very thing causes a lot of debate within. It can be very crushing, and not many players can handle it. Keep direct communication with him,” Ashwin added.
Former Indian bowler Varun Aaron too had “I definitely think they should play Kuldeep Yadav. I have been a big advocate for Kuldeep Yadav because he gives you wicket taking options in the middle. Just like today, if the fast bowlers didn’t get the early breakthrough, Kuldeep can come in and get you a couple of wickets and then you can bring the fast bowlers back in. So you need to play Kuldeep Yadav definitely in any condition or circumstances,” said Aaron while speaking with Star Sports.
