Kuldeep Yadav's bench role risks rhythm and confidence, warns Ashwin
Synopsis
Ravichandran Ashwin has publicly called out India's team management for repeatedly benching Kuldeep Yadav — even with Bumrah and Washington Sundar both unavailable for the Lord's decider. With 194 ODI wickets to his name, Kuldeep's exclusion is no longer just a selection quirk; it is fast becoming a question of long-term damage to one of India's most potent bowling weapons.
Key Takeaways
Ravichandran Ashwin warned on 19 July that repeated exclusions could hurt Kuldeep Yadav's rhythm and confidence.
Kuldeep was left out of the 3rd ODI at Lord's despite the absence of both Jasprit Bumrah and Washington Sundar .
India played four pacers and only one spinner — Axar Patel — in the series decider.
Kuldeep has been excluded from all three ODIs in England and featured in just one game in the preceding Afghanistan home series.
Kuldeep holds a career record of 194 wickets in 121 ODIs , making his non-selection a widely debated topic.
Post IPL 2026 , Kuldeep was traded from Delhi Capitals to Lucknow Super Giants in a deal involving Rishabh Pant .
Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Sunday, 19 July raised sharp concerns over the team management's repeated decision to exclude premier left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav from India's playing eleven, cautioning that such persistent omissions could seriously erode a bowler's rhythm and self-belief. The warning came ahead of the 3rd ODI series decider at Lord's, London.
Ashwin's Concern on Kuldeep's Omission
Despite the absence of pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah through injury and Washington Sundar being ruled out with a hamstring problem, Kuldeep was still left out of India's playing eleven for the series decider. India consequently fielded four pacers and a lone spinner in left-arm spin bowling all-rounder Axar Patel, leaving the side without a sixth bowling option.
Ashwin posted his reaction on his X account, stating: '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.'
A Pattern of Exclusion
Kuldeep's omission at Lord's is part of a broader trend on this England tour. He has now been left out of all three ODIs in England after being rested from the T20I leg of the tour as well. Even before the England tour, Kuldeep featured in just one match during the preceding home ODI series against Afghanistan, returning figures of 0 for 42 in Lucknow.
The Management's Rationale
The Indian team management has consistently preferred Axar Patel and Washington Sundar over Kuldeep, primarily because both all-rounders add valuable batting depth to the lower order. Both players have largely justified their selection with all-round contributions. Kuldeep's comparatively limited batting ability at the lower order has been cited as the key reason for his continued exclusion, despite his specialised skills as a wrist-spinner.
Kuldeep's Career Record and Recent Struggles
Kuldeep endured a difficult IPL 2026 campaign with Delhi Capitals. Following the tournament, he was traded to Lucknow Super Giants in a deal that saw Rishabh Pant return to Delhi Capitals. Despite these recent setbacks, Kuldeep's overall ODI record remains formidable — 194 wickets in 121 ODIs — making his continued non-selection a subject of debate among cricket observers.
What This Means Going Forward
Ashwin's public intervention adds pressure on the selectors to address the imbalance in India's spin bowling strategy. With the ODI World Cup cycle building, repeatedly sidelining a specialist of Kuldeep's calibre risks leaving him underprepared for high-stakes assignments. How the team management responds to this criticism in upcoming series will be closely watched.
Point of View
The depth argument collapses entirely, as Ashwin himself noted. What this exclusion really reflects is a management preference for controllable, safe all-round options over specialist match-winners — a conservative instinct that works in bilateral series but tends to unravel in knockout cricket. With 194 ODI wickets, Kuldeep is not a fringe bowler being eased in; he is a frontline asset being systematically underused. If this pattern continues into the World Cup cycle, India risk arriving at the tournament with a wrist-spinner who has lost competitive sharpness at the worst possible time.
NationPress
20 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Kuldeep Yadav left out of the 3rd ODI at Lord's?
Kuldeep Yadav was excluded from India's playing eleven for the Lord's ODI decider despite the unavailability of both Jasprit Bumrah and Washington Sundar. The team management opted for four pacers and Axar Patel as the lone spinner, reportedly prioritising batting depth over specialist spin.
What did Ravichandran Ashwin say about Kuldeep Yadav's exclusion?
Ashwin posted on X that Kuldeep's omission — especially with Arshdeep Singh batting at number 8 — undermined the usual justification of batting depth. He stated directly: 'Trust me, this can affect the rhythm and confidence of a bowler.'
How many ODI wickets does Kuldeep Yadav have?
Kuldeep Yadav has taken 194 wickets in 121 ODIs, making him one of India's most prolific ODI wicket-takers. Despite this record, he has faced consistent exclusion on the current England tour.
How many games has Kuldeep played on India's England tour?
Kuldeep has not played in any of the three ODIs in England and was also rested during the T20I leg of the tour. He featured in just one match in the preceding home ODI series against Afghanistan, returning 0 for 42 in Lucknow.
What is the IPL trade involving Kuldeep Yadav?
After a difficult IPL 2026 campaign with Delhi Capitals, Kuldeep Yadav was traded to Lucknow Super Giants in a deal that brought Rishabh Pant back to Delhi Capitals.
