Kuldeep Yadav was expected to play the second Test between India and England. India losing the first game due to inadequate bowling resources increased calls for the inclusion of the wrist-spinner. Then the news of Jasprit Bumrah probably missing the second Test also strengthened the speculation that Kuldeep would come back into the team. However, when the Playing XI was announced on Wednesday at toss, there was no Kuldeep.
India Vs England 2nd Test: Why Kuldeep Yadav Gets Overlooked Again And Again?
India Vs England 2nd Test: Why Has Been Kuldeep Ignored? After the retirement of Ashwin, Kuldeep was expected to be the lead spinner. However, things have not panned out the way he would have anticipated.
Despite making his Test debut more than eight years ago in 2017, Kuldeep has played just 13 matches. He has taken 56 wickets in those games but that record has not helped him get more matches. He took a fifer in the first Test he played in Australia and yet he could not claim a spot in the Playing XI.
Why has Kuldeep been ignored?
For a long time it was due to the presence of R Ashwin in the team. The legendary off-spinner was a lock in the side in India and on overseas tours one of him or Ravindra Jadeja used to get the nod. So, Kuldeep had to sit out.
After the retirement of Ashwin, Kuldeep was expected to be the lead spinner. However, things have not panned out the way Kuldeep would have anticipated.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir's insistence on batting depth has meant that India have been forced to bench a star like Kuldeep. Since none of India's pace bowlers bat, Gambhir has been forced to add an extra all-rounder to give the team some batting insurance in the lower order.
Kuldeep could not get a game in Australia where India played five Test matches and in England, the same story is unfolding. Despite his undoubted brilliance, India can't seem to find a place for Kuldeep.
His last Test match remains in October 2024 against New Zealand at home while his last Test outing in SENA countries is still his fifer in Sydney that came in early 2019. His last overseas Test is still the Chattogram Test where he took eight wickets including a five-wicket haul.
India Vs England, 2nd Test: Playing XIs
England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt), Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir
India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Shubman Gill (capt), Rishabh Pant (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
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