Sunil Gavaskar criticizes Kuldeep Yadav’s ‘unbelievable’ dismissal Cricket News

NEW DELHI: India’s batting legend Sunil Gavaskar on Thursday criticized the “incredible” exclusion of the left-handed wrister Kuldeep Yadav of India playing XI in the second Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka.
Kuldeep had career-best figures of 5/40 in the first innings in the opening Test at Chattogram and backed it up with three wickets in the second innings for a career-best 8/113 as India beat Bangaldesh by 188 runs.
But Kuldeep replaced with a left hand pacer Jaydev Unadkat in the second Test, which started in Mirpur on Thursday, Gavaskar became former Test bowler Dodda Ganesh and former women’s captain Anjum Chopra I wonder why the team management had made such a decision.
“To drop the man of the match, it’s unbelievable. That’s the only word I can use, and that’s a gentle word. I’d like to use rather stronger words, but it’s unbelievable that you missed the ‘man of the match’, who got eight out of 20 points.” Gavaskar said, commenting on Sony Sports Network, broadcasters of the series.
“You have two other spinners (Axar Patel and R. Ashwin). So surely one of the other bikes could have been dropped. But this guy who took eight cards should have played today respecting the way the pitch looks,” Gavaskar said, countering skipper KL Rahul’s claim that the 22-yard lane looked “messy”.
Ganesh wondered why such treatment was meted out to Kuldeep. “Why does this happen so often to Kuldeep Yadav? You can’t do this to him again and again. Please someone put an arm around his shoulder and tell him not to lose heart. Yes. It’s hard to be Kuldeep Yadav. Spare a thought for him” , said Ganesh, who played four Tests on social media.
“Also, the way the Bangladeshis struggled to pick him in the last Test makes the decision to leave him out today even more absurd and defies cricketing logic. Do you want your winner to warm the benches?” he asked.
“I think the think tank needs to be a bit more judicious in dealing with youngsters who have done well; and tweak the team mix accordingly. Last time they dropped Karun (Nair) after his 303 when they didn’t play an extra seamer. Hyderabad. And now this, with Kuldeep Yadav . Shocking. Ridiculous,” he added.
Kuldeep had also participated with the bat in the match scoring 40 runs in the first innings. He was included in the Indian squad for the third ODI against Bangladesh after the fast bowlers Kuldeep Sen and Deepak Chahar was ruled out due to injuries.
Former Indian women’s team captain Chopra called Kuldeep’s exclusion “strange”.
“Man of the match in India’s last Test win just 3 days ago, Kuldeep Yadav makes way for Jaydev Unadkat as India’s 3rd seamer. Strange but a tactical change,” Anjum wrote on social media.

In an earlier tweet after India had won the Chattogram Test, Anjum had also praised Kuldeep’s batting. “1136 runs and could have been more in Chattogram conditions. For Kuldeep Yadav to get eight wickets in a match is very impressive.”

(with income from PTI)