India’s Kuldeep Yadav and Sanju Samson (ANI Photo)
He hasn’t been the go-to option under this management, which is unfortunate,” Ashwin said, referring to Kuldeep being dropped after conceding 1-53 in West Indies’ chase of 250 in the second T20I in Ranchi. If India opt for four frontline seamers, Ashwin believes the emphasis must be on picking genuine wicket-takers rather than compromising the attack for lower-order batting depth. (Watch India’s tour of New Zealand live and exclusive on Sony Sports Network and Sony LIV starting October 22, 2026.) Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news , check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule .
Indian spin legend Ravichandran Ashwin feels the treatment meted out to the left-arm wrist spinner is often “unfair”. Join conversation Share your thoughts in the comments Be respectful · TOI community guidelines “With Hardik Pandya not yet back, I expect Varun Chakravarthy to get the nod ahead of Kuldeep (in New Zealand), though it will be interesting to see how he returns from his side strain,” Ashwin added. I hope not, but that could again be the direction we take,” he said.
Chennai: Kuldeep Yadav often finds himself outside the Team India playing XI after an odd bad day in office. “Kuldeep has produced results over the years and it is unfair to pin the blame on one bowler when conditions are against him. The veteran also expressed concern that India could once again gravitate towards a combination that prioritises batting depth over specialist bowling options. “If we have Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar around, we might see India leave out an attacking spin option. Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.