Former Indian Test opener Sadagopan Ramesh has slammed Gautam Gambhir-led support staff for not picking Kuldeep Yadav in three ODIs against England. Yadav didn’t get a single game against England and was also excluded in the final game of the series despite the absence of Jasprit Bumrah.

Yadav was also not picked in the first two ODIs against England as the spin duo of Washington Sundar and Axar Patel were picked ahead of him. It is clear that the management is backing spin and seam-bowling all-rounders ahead of Yadav. Since July 2024, Kuldeep has featured in 38 games out of 103 matches across all formats for India.

Kuldeep has scalped 194 ODI wickets in 121 matches at an average of 27.05 and thus has an impressive record in the 50-over format.

Ramesh said on his Instagram handle, “Even England employed three spinners and the wicket was dry. Yet, without Bumrah, if Kuldeep Yadav can’t fit even in this bowling lineup, what logic is there? It is clear that this team management keeps making glaring errors in the overall selection and in picking the playing 11.”

Meanwhile, India needed 388 runs to win in the final ODI and Ramesh highlighted that the trio of Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli played brilliantly. But he felt the visitors were always going to fell short of the target.

“Despite the immense pressure on him, Rohit Sharma produced an extraordinary knock. Yet, despite him, Gill and Kohli playing brilliantly, we always felt India would slip somewhere because of the total they were chasing. But India produced an excellent chase as the pitch was more up and down in the second innings,” said Ramesh (via the aforementioned source).

Rohit scored a majestic knock of 138 runs off 110 balls to answer his critics in style whereas Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli scored 77 and 74 runs respectively.

India’s next ODI series is at home against the West Indies.