Kuldeep Yadav has shed light on why he sat out during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy despite strong public demand. The left-arm spinner said Gautam Gambhir, India’s head coach, valued batting depth more than a wrist-spinner’s impact.
“Communication was clear. Sometimes I felt I could play, but unfortunately, due to batting depth or combinations, I didn’t get a place. Gautam Bhai was straightforward about it. It wasn’t about skill or batting but about team composition due to conditions. I enjoyed my time and learned a lot,” Kuldeep Yadav told reporters on Thursday.
Learning From the Sidelines
Kuldeep Yadav admitted that not featuring in games gave him perspective.
“When you don’t play, you learn more by observing and become a better player. It’s easy to blame others, but tough to accept and work on your weaknesses and improve,” he added.
Struggles With Rhythm on Return
Kuldeep highlighted the difficulty of returning in Dubai without consistent match rhythm.
“Challenges are always there because when you play the first game, your rhythm is very important. If you keep playing regularly, your rhythm stays set, and you get an idea of how to bowl or spend time on the field, how to react. That was missing a bit,” said Kuldeep.
He used the break to build stamina and sharpen his bowling through long spells. “But for me, it was a very good time to work on myself, improve fitness, and add volume to my bowling because that is very important. Then, I played the Duleep Trophy match where I was wicketless but bowled 35 overs, which helped me set my rhythm. My mindset wasn’t to overthink, just focus on my strengths and bowl in the right areas,” he added.
Asia Cup 2025 Impact
The spinner has bounced back in style. Kuldeep is now Asia Cup 2025’s second-highest wicket-taker, behind UAE’s Junaid Siddique. With India already into the Super 4s, led by Suryakumar Yadav, the team next faces Oman before a much-anticipated showdown with Pakistan.
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