Former Indian cricketers have strongly rallied behind wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav following his repeated omissions from the playing XI. Leading the wave of support, veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin took to social media to openly question the team management's tactical consistency.

In a pointed post on X, Ashwin highlighted the contradiction in India's selection logic, stating, "The only defense for not playing Kuldeep usually is that the batting finishes at number 7, wonder how it feels to have Arshdeep at number 8 today! Adding Bumrah’s absence to that, one can only feel bad for Kuldeep. Trust me, this can affect the rythm and confidence of a bowler.#INDVENG"

This public backing has echoed from earlier received heavy criticism from former opener Aakash Chopra, who slammed the team management for constantly sidelining the premier wrist-spinner across formats. Chopra vocally questioned why the 31-year-old never receives proper opportunities or justice, asserting on his YouTube channel, "Why is justice never done to this guy? He is the first guy who faces the consequence of anything... Not being able to make a place for Kuldeep Yadav is a travesty."

The former cricketers emphasized that sacrificing a genuine middle-overs wicket-taker for extra batting depth heavily backfires, especially when frontline pacers are missing. The fraternity has remained united in warning that such repetitive, short-sighted selection policies place an unfair psychological strain on Kuldeep, ultimately risking the rhythm and confidence of one of the nation's finest spin talents.

"It seems these numbers don't matter": Mohammad Kaif backs Kuldeep Yadav after latest snub in series decider at Lord’s

Following India's team selection for the crucial 3rd ODI against England at Lord's, former cricketer Mohammad Kaif strongly came out in support of Kuldeep Yadav. Expressing deep frustration on X, Kaif argued that the left-arm wrist spinner was unfairly sidelined despite the absence of key bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah.

He felt India’s attack lacked much-needed variety, prompting him to post, "Kuldeep Yadav should be thinking of packing his bags and saying goodbye to international cricket. 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.”

https://x.com/MohammadKaif/status/2078829197041291293

Kuldeep Yadav has experienced mixed fortunes in his recent ODI appearances for India, showcasing glimpses of his masterclass alongside some expensive outings. In his most recent 50-over match against Afghanistan on June 17, 2026, he remained wicketless, conceding 42 runs in his 10-over quota. Prior to that, during a demanding three-match ODI series against New Zealand in January 2026, he picked up exactly one wicket in each of his three games.

While he maintained decent control in the series opener, he proved uncharacteristically expensive in the subsequent matches, giving away 82 and 48 runs respectively. Despite these recent hurdles, his remarkable ability to break partnerships remains evident, anchored by an exceptional four-wicket haul (4/41) against South Africa in December 2025.