R Ashwin Slams Team India Management Over Kuldeep Yadav's Treatment Under Gautam Gambhir

The continued absence of Indian chinaman from the playing XI has drawn fresh criticism after he failed to feature in the entire series against England. It prompted the former Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin to question the team management’s faith in him.

The left arm wrist spinner, Yadav missed out finding a place in the third ODI at Lord’s even with the other premier bowler in the team, Jasprit Bumrah missing out due to an injury. His omission has fuelled a debate about his role under the head coach Gautam Gambhir.

Since Gambhir took over the head coach role in July 2024, India has played about 104 international matches across formats, and Kuldeep has featured in only 38 of those. The lack of opportunities presented to him has left Ashwin convinced that the spinner is no longer part of the Indian team’s plans.

Speaking on his YouTube Channel, Ashwin said Kuldeep should stop waiting around for his chances that do not appear to be coming anytime soon. “Kuldeep should not be playing at all, there is no need at all. This is a batsman’s world, which can never understand a bowler’s confidence and rhythm. I am a big Indian cricket buff - I am always thinking about Indian cricket. Even when the IPL is going on, I keep thinking, what can it do for Indian cricket? Kuldeep is at a stage where he’ll play until 35 or 35 years of age. He has a good contract, he recently went in the IPL trade - he should have packed his bags and come. Like Mohammad Kaif said, what is the point?”

Ashwin also backed Kuldeep's ability and quality as a spinner, describing him as one of the finest wrist spinners in world cricket. “Kuldeep has picked around 170 wickets from 120 matches. If you look at the wrist spinners across the world, he is even better than Adam Zampa. We consider Zampa one of the better white-ball spinners. He is ahead of all of them,” he said.

He continued, “before yesterday, I used to say - Kuldeep should stay there with the kit bag and try to improve his batter. But after yesterday (referring to the third ODI against England), a lot of things changed. In this team, where you don’t need batting at number eight, you went with bowling strength and even then after Bumrah’s absence, you are still not taking Kuldeep Yadav. It means the management’s confidence in Kuldeep Yadav is absolutely zero. The management has no confidence in him at all.”

Kuldeep last represented India during the home ODI series against Afghanistan in June where he featured in just one out of three matches. Earlier in the year, he had a disappointing ODI series against the Kiwis and made only one appearance in the Indian T20I World Cup campaign.