Indian selectors picked the chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav for the first two Tests against England. Since both the Tests were scheduled in Chepauk Stadium in Chennai, there was a glimmer of hope that the bowler would make it to the playing XI. The typical Chepauk wicket assists the spinners and Kuldeep was supposed to get the nod because of his good bowling variations.
But unfortunately, in the end, he was not picked in the playing XI. Meanwhile, Kuldeep’s childhood coach Kapil Pandey slammed the Indian team management for the way in which they treated the chinaman. Kuldeep not only warmed the bench in the first Test but also in the Border Gavaskar Trophy Test series against Australia.
After not being picked in the playing XI for the four-match Test series against Australia, he was expected to play the first Test against England. In fact, with Ravindra Jadeja already ruled out of the Test series due to an injury, Kuldeep was expected to partner with veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin in the spin attack. In the end, the selectors surprised everyone by picking Shahbaz Nadeem
It should be noted that Nadeem was already not a part of the Indian Test squad. He was added only after Axar Patel ruled out of the first Test with an injury. Nadeem didn’t completely justify his selection as England beat India by 227 runs. After India’s defeat, netizens and experts hit out at the Indian team management for excluding Kuldeep Yadav.
‘Ghar ki murgi daal barabar’: Kuldeep Yadav’s childhood coach
Kuldeep’s childhood coach Kapil Pandey added that they sideline the chinaman if he slightly underperforms in one game. “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,” Kapil Pandey told SportsKeeda.
“If he slightly underperforms even in one match, they sideline him. On the other hand, the 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 practising with the team is not getting a chance,” Pandey added.
