Veteran Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has openly criticized head coach Gautam Gambhir after Kuldeep Yadav was left out of India’s playing XI for the opening ODI against Australia in Perth. Ashwin expressed his frustration over the team’s selection strategy, accusing Gambhir of focusing too heavily on all-rounders while neglecting the importance of specialist bowlers.
Despite being India’s top performer in recent tournaments — including a match-winning spell in the Champions Trophy final against New Zealand, an impressive run in the T20 Asia Cup, and a Player of the Match performance in the Delhi Test versus West Indies — Kuldeep was benched for the first ODI, which shocked many fans and experts alike.
On his YouTube show, Ashwin voiced his concerns bluntly: “You want batting depth, that’s fine, but bowling should not be compromised. Grounds in Perth are big, and bowlers like Kuldeep can use bounce and overspin to their advantage. If he can’t play in these conditions, where will he?”
Ashwin questioned the repeated preference for all-rounders such as Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, and Nitish Reddy, emphasizing that adding extra batters shouldn’t come at the cost of losing the team’s best bowlers. “Kitne all-rounders chaiye aapko? You already have three. If you can’t fit your best bowler in, something’s wrong,” Ashwin stated.
The former cricketer also warned that leaving Kuldeep out repeatedly could create serious psychological pressure on the wrist-spinner. “When a player is dropped after performing well, he begins to doubt his value to the team. That kind of uncertainty can break confidence. The management must communicate clearly with him before it becomes a bigger issue.”
Ashwin’s remarks have sparked debate among fans and analysts about India’s team balance and selection policies under Gambhir. With Australia leading the series, questions about whether India made the right choice by leaving out Kuldeep are only getting louder.
