
Kuldeep Yadav's absence from Manchester Test irks R Ashwin: Details
What's the story
Indian cricket legend Ravichandran Ashwin has questioned the team's fixation with a deeper batting order, especially in light of their performance in the ongoing fourth Test against England in Manchester. He criticized the decision to pick Shardul Thakur over Kuldeep Yadav. After posting 358 in their first innings, India struggled on Day 2 as England's openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley scored quickly to reduce the deficit to just 133 runs by stumps.
Strategy critique
'You need to have balance in the team'
Ashwin questioned India's decision to play Thakur in the playing XI. "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," he said on his YouTube channel. The spin legend also took issue with wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav's omission from the XI throughout this tour and not being considered for selection at Old Trafford either.
Spin strategy
'Once Reddy went out, it was a no-brainer...'
Ashwin stressed the importance of having Yadav in the squad, especially after Reddy's exit at No. 6. He said, "Once Nitish Kumar Reddy went out of the picture at No.6, it was a no-brainer to play Kuldeep Yadav." The veteran cricketer also highlighted how India's fast bowling attack is tiring and Bumrah's workload needs to be managed properly.
Batting obsession
'If someone told me Kuldeep wouldn't play...'
Ashwin also questioned India's obsession with batting, saying if someone had told him Yadav wouldn't play in the first four Tests, he would have been "very very surprised." He said this fixation is due to looking for those extra runs. The spin legend further questioned Thakur's utility if he was only being used for runs without being given heavy-duty work with the Dukes ball.
Bowling strategy
'India needed an aggressive bowler today'
Ashwin stressed on the need for an aggressive bowler in the team, given that "Jassi was bowling, and after that it looked like India had no other options to take a wicket." He said he wasn't sure if Yadav would have taken five wickets but it could have played with a batter's mind. Ashwin concluded by saying this was a great opportunity for Yadav to pick at least one wicket if he had played today.