Sourav Ganguly Advocates for Kuldeep Yadav's Inclusion in Test Matches Against England

Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly has voiced his concerns regarding the exclusion of spinner Kuldeep Yadav from the Test matches against England. He argues that without quality spin, it is difficult for teams to secure 20 wickets in a match. Ganguly highlights Kuldeep's impressive record against England and suggests that he should have played in the recent Tests. The discussion raises questions about team selection strategies and the importance of spin bowling in Test cricket. Read on to discover more about Ganguly's insights and the ongoing series dynamics.

By Narendra Chaudhary Aug 1, 2025, 02:02 IST

Ganguly's Perspective on Kuldeep Yadav's Absence

In Kolkata, former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly expressed his views on the exclusion of spinner Kuldeep Yadav from the playing eleven during the recent five-match Test series against England. He emphasized that Kuldeep should have participated in the last three matches, arguing that securing 20 wickets in a Test match is challenging without a quality spin option.

During the Test at The Oval, Team India opted for three pace bowlers and two spin-bowling all-rounders, resulting in Kuldeep missing yet another chance to showcase his skills in England. Although he played one Test match in England back in 2018 without taking any wickets, his overall record against England is impressive, with 21 wickets in six matches at an average of 22.28, including best figures of 5/72.

Since his debut in 2017, Kuldeep has participated in only 13 Tests, claiming 56 wickets at an average of 22.16, with four five-wicket hauls. His omission has drawn criticism, particularly given his remarkable strike rate of 37.3, the highest among spinners with at least 50 Test wickets. In his 13 Tests, he has achieved four five-wicket hauls.

At a press conference in Kolkata, Ganguly remarked, “England has fielded four fast bowlers and left some grass on the pitch, which I presume is why Kuldeep was not selected. If they have opted for four seamers and no frontline spinners, it indicates a greener surface for the fast bowlers.”

Ganguly further stated that Kuldeep should have been included in the second, third, and fourth Tests, highlighting England's struggles to take wickets on the final day of the fourth Test at Manchester, which ended in a draw, thanks to centuries from Indian players Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, and Washington Sundar.

“I wish he had played at Manchester, Lord’s, and Birmingham. Without quality spin, it becomes difficult to dismiss teams on the fifth day of a match. At Manchester, the pitch had some roughness and turn on the final day, but the absence of quality spin contributed to not taking 20 wickets. Historically, great teams have had quality spinners like Graeme Swann, Monty Panesar, Muttiah Muralitharan, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, and Ravichandran Ashwin to secure wickets on day five. Kuldeep is a player India should consider for future matches,” he concluded.

At the end of the first session, India was at 72/2, with Sai Sudharsan (25*) and Gill (15*) not out. India lost their openers, Yashasvi Jaiswal (2) and KL Rahul (14), early, finding themselves at 38/2.

England won the toss and chose to field first, leading the series 2-1.

England (Playing XI): Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope(c), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jacob Bethell, Jamie Smith(w), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Jamie Overton, Josh Tongue

India (Playing XI): Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill(c), Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel(w), Washington Sundar, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj.