Kuldeep Yadav's Position in India's Spin Rotation Uncertain as New Spinners Emerge
Kuldeep Yadav's place in India's Test cricket squad is in question following the emergence of younger spinners like Manav Suthar and the preference for all-rounders like Washington Sundar under coach Gautam Gambhir. Despite playing 18 Tests, Kuldeep has struggled to make decisive impacts in recent matches and has been dropped from T20I squads, with his bowling at home appearing concerning. The situation highlights India's shift toward multi-dimensional players who can contribute with both bat and ball.
Kuldeep Yadav faces an uncertain future in India's Test cricket setup as the team management prioritizes spinners with stronger batting credentials and all-round abilities. Head coach Gautam Gambhir's preference for multi-dimensional players has benefited Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and debutant Manav Suthar, who impressed with both bowling and batting in recent matches. Kuldeep's recent performances have been underwhelming—he went wicketless in his first innings against Afghanistan despite facing an inexperienced batting lineup, and struggled against South Africa where he conceded nearly four runs per over. Beyond Test cricket, Kuldeep has been dropped from T20I squads, played only one match in the 2026 T20 World Cup with Varun Chakravarthy preferred, and had a disappointing IPL season with 10 wickets in 12 games at over 10 runs per over. His career trajectory has been marked by inconsistency: once hailed as India's "frontline No. 1 overseas spinner" after a five-wicket haul in 2019, he has repeatedly slipped down the pecking order as other spinners—Jadeja, Ashwin, Axar Patel—have been preferred.
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Where does Kuldeep Yadav fit in India's new spin puzzle?
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