Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has raised concerns over the team’s choice to bench Kuldeep Yadav for the last two T20 matches against the West Indies. He believes that Kuldeep’s unique skills could have significantly influenced the outcome of the tightly contested series.
In the fourth T20 match held in Hyderabad on Wednesday, India faced difficulties with their bowling attack, allowing the West Indies to score 247 runs for just three wickets. In response, India managed to score only 223 runs, resulting in a loss by 24 runs. This defeat tied the five-match series at 2-2, setting the stage for a decisive match in Bengaluru on Saturday.
On his YouTube channel, Ash Ki Baat, Ashwin expressed his confusion over Kuldeep’s omission, especially considering the challenges that the West Indies batsmen faced against his bowling style. He mentioned, “It’s surprising because, although spinners don’t always thrive at this ground, the West Indies struggled to handle Kuldeep’s googly and leg-spin. Excluding him does not seem sensible. His presence might have made a difference of 15-20 runs.”
Kuldeep had played in the first two matches in Lucknow and Ranchi but was benched for the matches in Indore and Hyderabad. He recorded two wickets for 33 runs in the series opener but had a rough outing in Ranchi, conceding 53 runs in four overs, including 24 runs in one over.
Despite this, Ashwin pointed out that it wasn’t fair to pin the blame for India’s loss solely on Kuldeep. He supported the decision to sit him out in Indore due to the size of the ground but questioned the choice to keep him out in Hyderabad. “It’s surprising. I understood leaving Kuldeep out in Indore due to the small ground, but blaming him for the defeat in Ranchi is incorrect,” he noted.
Kuldeep’s recent performance against the West Indies adds weight to the call for his inclusion; he took seven wickets in three matches during the ODI series earlier this month, making him India’s top wicket-taker against them.
Indian bowlers have struggled to keep the West Indies in check throughout the T20 series. The visitors’ impressive total of 247 runs in Hyderabad proved too steep for India, who fell short despite a strong effort.
With the score tied at 2-2, India will need to carefully strategize their selection and bowling plans for the crucial match in Bengaluru. Whether Kuldeep will make a return to the lineup remains uncertain.
