Ashwin backs Kuldeep Yadav after Edgbaston benching, urges India to show faith

The legendary Ravichandran Ashwin has backed left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav and called out the team management for not giving him too many opportunities. The former raised concerns over how the Indian cricket team is handling Kuldeep, especially after being left out of the side that faced England in the first ODI at Edgbaston in Birmingham.

After Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep returned to the white-ball setup, Ashwin emphasised the need for better player management ahead of the 2027 ICC World Cup, which will take place in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.

The opening ODI took place on Tuesday, July 14 in Birmingham, where India chose spin all-rounders Axar Patel and Washington Sundar over Kuldeep despite naming the wrist-spinner in the squad. Ashwin felt this exclusion was a significant oversight. England and India are locked in a three-match ODI series that runs through Sunday, July 19, with the second fixture scheduled for Thursday, July 16 at Cardiff.

“In this Indian team, I will say this again. Both finger-spinning all-rounders will not fit into the combination for the 2027 World Cup. Whenever Kuldeep’s place is made, and Harshit Rana is fit and firing, Harshit Rana becomes the third seamer. Then it opens up a slot for Kuldeep,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel Ash Ki Baat.

Is India missing a trick by underutilising Kuldeep Yadav?

Ashwin expressed confidence about the wrist-spinner’s match-winning capabilities and felt the current management was not doing enough to support him. The former spinner noted that while Varun Chakaravarthy’s absence gave Kuldeep a genuine opportunity, the team needed to show more faith in his abilities and give him consistent chances leading up to next year’s global extravaganza.

“Kuldeep should get more backing. In that World Cup, Kuldeep Yadav’s bowling was very important. He is a match-winning spinner. He can bowl in any phase. He has a good record in South Africa,” Ashwin.

“This management hasn’t backed Kuldeep enough. They should back him more because he is a match-winner. If he has to get into the 2027 World Cup with the right mindset, they should keep giving him chances. He should be given a lot more confidence. I would love for India to play Kuldeep Yadav as the frontline spinner,” he added.

Indian fans finally got something to cheer for when their team won the first ODI comprehensively by six wickets. Shubman Gill, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar were three of India’s top performers in the contest. This was a much-needed victory for the Men in Blue after they had remained winless in seven T20Is on the tour of the United Kingdom.

The second ODI at Cardiff takes centre stage on Thursday, July 16, with India looking to bounce back and force a decider at Lord’s.