Ravichandran Ashwin slams India’s selection, questions Kuldeep Yadav’s absence from playing XI against England

Former Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has raised questions on India’s playing combination. Ashwin said it is difficult to understand the team’s obsession of playing with an extra all-rounder. India replaced injured Nitish Kumar Reddy with Shardul Thakur but Ashwin reckons the visitors should have played Kuldeep Yadav.

India is playing with three all-rounders in Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, and Shardul Thakur. Meanwhile, Yadav has scalped 56 wickets in 13 Test matches at an impressive average of 22.16. Against England, Kuldeep has bagged 21 wickets in six Test matches at an impressive average of 22.28 but he hasn’t been given his chance in the first four Test matches.

Ashwin noted that India’s pace battery looked tired on the second day’s play after England scored 225-2 in 46 overs.

“See, you may get 20-30 extra runs from the No.8 batter, but if that player at No.8 takes 2-3 wickets, then the complexion of the Test match can change. The management decided to play Nitish Kumar Reddy at Lord’s and Birmingham, I’ll admit that was an okay decision, because he is a top-six calibre batter, and he is not Ben Stokes yet, but there is skill in his bowling,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

The former all-rounder said it was a no-brainer to play Kuldeep Yadav once Nitish Kumar Reddy suffered a knee injury.

“Once Nitish Kumar Reddy went out of the picture at No.6, it was a no-brainer to play Kuldeep Yadav. 15 full days of cricket has happened already, your fast bowling attack is tiring, Siraj was tiring. Even though Bumrah’s workload has been managed, it is still not an easy task. Kuldeep Yadav is a serious miss for India, and England are ahead in the Test.”

Ashwin reckons the spinners could have been rotated better by Indian captain Shubman Gill.

“Shubman Gill is unable to give six over, seven over spells to Bumrah, you cannot run him to the ground. I felt the spinners could have been rotated better.”

Ashwin said the extra runs no longer hold the advantage in England and India should have looked to strengthen their bowling by adding Kuldeep Yadav.

“If somebody would have told me that Kuldeep Yadav will not be playing any part in the first four Tests, I would have been very very surprised. Unfortunately, it is our obsession with batting, and looking for those 20-30 extra runs. Gone are those days in England; the advantage of 20-30 runs is gone. If your No.7 makes 30 runs, and your No.8 makes 30 runs, you have extra 60 runs. Earlier that 60 runs used to be very useful, because bowlers used to get help from the pitch,” Ashwin said.

England ended the day’s play at 225-2 after India posted 358.