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"Not Playing Him Has Costed India...": Kuldeep Yadav's Childhood Coach On Spinner's Test Snub

Soumyajit Dutta

Kuldeep Yadav [Source: @junglejimmy/X.com]Kuldeep Yadav [Source: @junglejimmy/X.com]

India faces a 1-2 deficit in their Test series against England despite competitive performances, with a key concern being their spinners' lack of penetration. While Washington Sundar claimed four second-innings wickets at Lord's, the overall output, particularly from Ravindra Jadeja, has been below par.

Kuldeep's childhood coach, Kapil Pandey has voiced strong criticism of Kuldeep's omission, arguing it harms India's chances. Kuldeep, despite impressive credentials including 56 Test wickets at 22.16 and recent white-ball dominance, has been benched throughout the tour as India prioritises batting depth.

Kapil Pandey Slams Odd Selection Policy

Kapil started with justifying Kuldeep's absence from the first two Tests while questioning his absence in the third Test.

"Kuldeep not playing doesn’t seem to hold much value in the current context, because Team India has been playing well. In the third Test, many expected him to feature, but the fast bowlers did the job and picked up wickets," Kapil told news agency IANS in an exclusive interview.

Kapil further emphasised Kuldeep's current form and the potential cost of his absence in the game.

“Kuldeep Yadav is in top form right now. He was lethal during the ODI World Cup and bowled brilliantly throughout the tournament. Not playing him at the right moments has cost India heavily. In the recent matches, it’s the batters who have failed, not the bowlers," Pandey added.

Responding to India's strategy of selecting players perceived to strengthen the batting lineup, often at Kuldeep's expense, Kapil offered a blunt assessment, “You can’t expect someone like Kuldeep or even Bumrah to score 100 runs – that would be unrealistic."

Kapil Pandey Reveals Encouragement For Kuldeep

Kapil revealed he has personally spoken to the spinner, urging him to stay prepared if India calls him up ahead of the Manchester test.

“I’ve spoken to Kuldeep recently, and I told him to stay fit and be ready to deliver whenever given a chance. All we can do is hope – the final decision lies with the coach and the captain. But there’s no doubt that Kuldeep is currently one of the finest and most senior spinners in the country," Pandey added.

As India heads to Manchester needing a win to level the series, the pressure mounts on the Gambhir-Dravid leadership duo to decide if Kuldeep Yadav's wicket-taking threat is finally worth unleashing against England.