IND Vs ENG: Kuldeep Yadav’s childhood coach blasts Indian team management for constantly denying him chances

Kuldeep Yadav’s childhood coach Kapil Pandey has lashed out at the treatment meted out to the spinner by the Indian team-management. After warming the bench throughout the four-match Test series in Australia, Kuldeep was expected to play the first Test against England in Chennai. With Ravindra Jadeja sidelined with an injury, Kuldeep was widely backed to partner Ravichandran Ashwin in the spin department.

But surprisingly, the Indian team-management decided against picking him in the team and instead picked Shahbaz Nadeem. Nadeem was originally not a part of the Test squad and was a late addition to the team as an injury replacement for Axar Patel. Nadeem failed to justify the team-management’s faith in him as India suffered a crushing 227-run loss.

In the wake of the loss, the critics have slammed the team for ignoring Kuldeep. The left-arm spinner has not played a Test for India since the Sydney Test in 2019. He had picked a 6-wicket haul in that Test that had prompted head coach Ravi Shastri to say he was the No. 1 choice in overseas Tests. But unfortunately, he is yet to play a game since then.

They sideline Kuldeep Yadav if he slightly underperforms in one match: Childhood coach

Kuldeep Yadav’s childhood coach did not mince words as he blasted the Indian team-management for constantly ignoring the spinner. He even alleged that the spinner is unfairly treated by the team and is dropped even when he slightly underperforms. He also took a dig at the decision to play Nadeem by saying that the ‘player who has been regularly practicing with the team is not getting a chance.’

“Kuldeep Yadav is continuously travelling with them, suffering, yet they are not giving him a chance. There goes a proverb as ‘Ghar ki murgi daal barabar’ so you are not trying to understanding him, you are not looking at his numbers, you are treating him like a normal cricketer,” Pandey told SportsKeeda.

“If he slightly underperforms even in one match, they sideline him. On the other hand, rest of the players are given so many chances. You are including the player who is not in the team, who hasn’t got preparation. Where is the greatness of the captain and coach? The player who has been regularly practicing with the team is not getting a chance,” Pandey added.