‘Could’ve played 4 matches’: Kuldeep Yadav breaks silence on getting ignored in India-England Tests

Back in Feb 2019, Ravi Shastri said that Kuldeep Yadav would be India's best overseas spinner in Tests. Ironically, the left-armer hasn't played a single SENA Test for India since that statement.

Kuldeep Yadav has been the story of India’s Asia Cup campaign so far with six wickets in two games, back-to-back Player of the Match awards, and a reminder of just how lethal wrist spin can be in T20 cricket. But away from the white-ball buzz, Kuldeep has now spoken candidly about the frustration of sitting out the entire five-Test series against England earlier this summer.

Frustrating time in England for Kuldeep?

At Beckenham in June, when India warmed up with a practice game, the surface looked dry and promising. Kuldeep himself admitted back then that it was “good for spinners.” Yet as the series unfolded on pitches that begged for variety, he never got a look in. Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, both offering more with the bat, were preferred.

“Keeping conditions and team combination in mind, I didn’t get an opportunity to play in the England series. But it was a quality time for me to work on my game. I worked on my fitness and gave volume to my bowling. It is quite a learning opportunity for when you don’t play,” Kuldeep said in a pre-match press conference before the Oman Asia Cup game.

Clear words from Gambhir, but Kuldeep still felt ready

The wrist-spinner revealed that there was no ambiguity in his discussions with head coach Gautam Gambhir. The message was simple: batting depth mattered more. India had just lost a World Test Championship (WTC) final (twice) in which the lower order collapsed, and the management wasn’t willing to take risks.

There was a clear communication (between Gautam Gambhir and Kuldeep). I felt I could’ve played 3-4 matches. Unfortunately, it couldn’t happen largely due to the batting depth. But the communication was clear from the get-go from Gautai Bhai. Quite straightforward. It wasn’t due to (lack of) skill but solely because of the batting depth that we needed. Conditions also played a part.

Kuldeep admitted that he could have easily gone down the road of complaint, but instead chose to view the experience as part of his growth. “It is quite easy to complain but it is a bit tough to accept and improve on your weakness to be a better player,” he added.

The omission sparked debate throughout the series. India’s bowling, at times, looked toothless on flat pitches where a wrist-spinner might have provided breakthroughs. Critics argued that while Jadeja and Sundar lengthened the batting, India lost out on a genuine wicket-taker. Even R Ashwin, watching from the sidelines, voiced concerns about the team’s obsession with batting depth.

Kuldeep, meanwhile, used the downtime productively. He worked with strength and conditioning coach Adrian le Roux, sharpened his rhythm, and honed his variations. That investment has paid off handsomely in the Asia Cup, where his spell against Pakistan, two wickets in two balls, and googlies ripping past batters showed exactly what India missed in England.