Kuldeep Yadav told to 'pack bags, say goodbye to internationals' after 3rd ODI snub

Mohammad Kaif has had enough of seeing Indian 11s without Kuldeep Yadav. The former India cricket team">India cricket team">India cricket team">India cricket team">India batter said on Sunday (July 19), after Kuldeep was benched in the third ODI at Lord’s, that the left-arm wrist-spinner should start thinking about ‘packing his bags and saying goodbye to international cricket’.

Kuldeep last played an ODI against Afghanistan at New Chandigarh last month. He has been conspicuous by his absence in several away tours in the Gautam Gambhir era and throughout this three-match series against England. Here, with Washington Sundar ruled out due to injury, it seemed logical for India to bring Kuldeep back, but the team went with four seamers alongside Axar Patel as the lone all-rounder and spinners.

“Kuldeep Yadav should be thinking of packing his bags and saying goodbye to international cricket,” Kaif wrote on X. “Today there was no Bumrah, no Washington, no Varun but Kuldeep still didn’t find a place in 11. India’s bowling attack at Lord’s is one-dimensional and lacks variety. A left-arm wrist spinner would have come handy. Remember he has 194 wickets in 118 ODIs. It seems these numbers don’t matter.”

Kaif’s worry felt legitimate because India conceded 387/3 in the 50 overs. Despite the wicket offering movement in the powerplay, bounce throughout, and even reverse-swing at the death, India’s pace attack looked toothless, and Axar was easily countered.

Why does Kuldeep Yadav need Hardik Pandya

In this match, Shubman Gill at the toss clearly said that India deliberately went with four seamers because they feel they are more effective in the middle overs.

“We were looking for four seamers on this ground. We have seen in the middle overs, spinners don’t really offer much as compared to the fast bowlers,” he said.

But in most other matches, Kuldeep’s career has been hampered by the team not developing pace all-rounders. When Hardik Pandya is not injured and plays regularly, it allows the team enough depth to drop a spin all-rounder like Axar or the third seamer and play Kuldeep.

But without him and Nitish Kumar Reddy, who’s also injured, the Gautam Gambhir-led management doesn’t like playing more aggressive bowler-first strategies.