Former India captain Sourav Ganguly opened up on Kuldeep Yadav's omission from the Shubman Gill-led side's playing XI throughout the five-match Test series of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 against England away from home.
Ganguly reckons that the veteran spinner should have featured in the previous three matches because, without quality spin, it is not easy to take 20 wickets in a Test match.
With Team India going with three pacers and two spin bowling all-rounders for The Oval Test, once again, Kuldeep missed out on an opportunity to play a Test match in England. While Kuldeep played one match in England back in 2018 and went wicketless, he has a fine record against England, taking 21 wickets in six matches at an average of 22.28, with best figures of 5/72.
ALSO READ: 'He is young and the most perfect batter...': Ex-cricketer suggests India not to look beyond this batter for number three slot
Kuldeep has not played a single Test match since October 2024; his last Test outing came against New Zealand. Since his debut in 2017, he has played just 13 Tests, taking 56 scalps at an average of 22.16 and four five-wicket hauls. The decision not to play Kuldeep has attracted criticism as he is a wicket-taking spin bowler, as suggested by his strike rate of 37.3, which is the highest among all spin bowlers with at least 50 Test wickets. In 13 Tests, he has taken 56 wickets, with four five-wicket hauls.
Speaking at a press event in Kolkata, Ganguly said, "Because England has gone with four fast bowlers and left some grass on the pitch, I presume. If they have gone with four fast bowlers and no spinners in frontline, there could be more grass on the surface for the seamers. I would have to see (the match). But maybe that is why Kuldeep did not play."
ALSO READ: KL Rahul to join KKR ahead of IPL 2026 via a trade deal? Here's all you need to know
Ganguly also added that Kuldeep Yadav should have featured in the second, third and fourth Test against England, mentioning England's helplessness in taking wickets during the final day of the fourth Test at Manchester, which ended in a draw, with centuries from skipper Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar.
"But he, I wish, had played at Manchester, Lord's and Birmingham. Without quality spin, you will find to get teams out on day five of a match. At Manchester, India batted, and the pitch had a bit of rough and turn (on the final day), but they did not have any quality spin. That is why they did not get 20 wickets. In past, there have been quality spinners in great sides, be it Graeme Swann, Monty Panesar (for England, Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka), Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh and Ravichandran (for India) Ashwin, to get wickets on day five. Kuldeep is someone India must look at to play in the future," he concluded.
Coming back to the fifth Test against England, after being asked to bat, India failed to get a good start as Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul departed in the first session. The clash has been suspended due to rain. Before the clash was suspended, Shubman Gill and young Sai Sudharsan forged India's comeback after England made early inroads in the opening session of the last Test. India piled up 72/2 in 23 overs, with Gill and Sudharsan unbeaten with scores of 15(23) and 25(67).