The ongoing T20I series in Australia saw the exit of Indian left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav from the Indian team, and the verdict has drawn mixed reactions from both the gallery and the pundits.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) informed the public about the move, and although the information released was scant, a number of causes have come up that clarify the reason why Kuldeep is going back to his home country in the middle of the tour.
Why Kuldeep Released?
As per the official announcement, Kuldeep was allowed to go “to pave the way for his preparation for the future Test series” against the South African national cricket team. The BCCI pointed out that this step was taken as a part of their long-term planning indicating the need for player management with regards to workload and his position in the Test team of India.
There are claims that the spin coach and management were on the same page when they saw Kuldeep’s partnership in the Test setup as more significant than his participation in the remaining T20Is.
Another aspect seems to be the strength of the team for the Australian conditions and the global strategy. India often picked two spinners and coupled them with pace in T20s away games, and with the other spin options emerging and the team’s combination changing, Kuldeep’s position appeared to be less certain for the rest of the series. In this case, allowing him to go helps maintain his worth for the formats where his influence is deemed stronger.
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Workload and the overall calendar have been mentioned as factors too. The international schedule is getting more packed players who are across formats suffer heavy demands. The management might be planning to ensure Kuldeep is fresh and fully concentrated on the longer version of the game by releasing him now especially because he is going to play a significant role in India’s spin attack for the Test series to come.
Timing and optics still play a role in this matter. The BCCI’s view of releasing a major spinner mid-tour may be negatively interpreted as an indication of team instability, but it appears to be their proactive move and not a reaction to something that happened. The whole thing indicates that the selectors are not only considering the immediate match but also the overall plan of how to use the players and which series to come. Hence, the fans as well as the analysts are keeping a close eye on how Kuldeep is being brought back for the Tests and what this decision implies for India’s Limited Overs setup.
To sum up, Kuldeep Yadav’s pullout from the T20I squad in Australia is an issue of the future: primacy of his role in the Test team, workload sharing, and choice of formats and controlling the size of the team. This will soon be clear if India’s next assignments do or do not produce fruits.
India Vs South Africa Test Schedule:
- 1st Test: November 14(Friday) – 9:30 AM – Kolkata
- 2nd Test: November 22 (Saturday) – 9:00 AM – Guwahati
Written By:- Manjunath S