'Lacks Common Sense': Ashwin Slams India's Decision to Drop Kuldeep Yadav
Ravichandran Ashwin criticizes the decision to drop Kuldeep Yadav from the 4th T20I against West Indies, calling it a lack of common sense.
Former Indian spin maestro Ravichandran Ashwin has voiced his strong disapproval over the team management's decision to exclude Kuldeep Yadav from the playing XI for the fourth T20I against the West Indies. Speaking on his digital platform 'Ash ki Baat', Ashwin expressed shock at the move, suggesting that the omission of the wrist-spinner directly impacted the game's outcome.
A Costly Omission
India suffered a heavy blow in the fourth T20I as the West Indies batters dismantled the Indian pace attack, posting a massive 247/3. Shai Hope led the charge with a stunning unbeaten 102 off just 50 balls, including nine sixes. Other key contributions came from Sherfane Rutherford (49* off 26) and Shimron Hetmyer (33 off 12).
Ashwin argued that the West Indies batters have consistently struggled to read Kuldeep's leg-spin and googlies. According to the veteran spinner, having Kuldeep in the lineup could have choked the scoring rate and potentially reduced the opposition's total by 15 to 20 runs.
"It is very surprising because, on a ground where you expect to get some bounce, I know it has not always been a happy hunting ground for spinners, but the West Indies batters are struggling to pick his googly and leg-spin. So, if you are leaving Kuldeep out against them, it lacks a bit of common sense," Ashwin stated.
Defending the Wrist-Spinner
The decision to drop Kuldeep followed an off-day in Ranchi, where he conceded 53 runs while taking one wicket in a match where India conceded a record 250 runs. India instead opted for all-rounder Naman Dhir as the second spin option alongside Axar Patel, prioritizing extra pace in the attack.
Ashwin pushed back against the narrative that Kuldeep was the reason for the loss in Ranchi. While he admitted he supported the decision to leave Kuldeep out in Indore due to the small ground dimensions, he believes penalizing the spinner for one bad outing was a mistake.
The Numbers Game
Kuldeep Yadav has been a productive force in the white-ball series against the West Indies, claiming 10 wickets across five matches. His dominance was particularly evident in the ODIs, where he took seven wickets in three games, including a four-wicket haul.
His overall T20I record remains formidable, with 98 wickets in 56 matches at an impressive average of 14.20. This includes two five-wicket hauls and a career-best performance of 5/17.
India's Fightback and the Road Ahead
Despite the massive target, India showed glimpses of fight. Sanju Samson provided a blistering start with 56 off 22 balls. A promising 70-run partnership between Tilak Varma (43) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (41) kept the chase alive, but their dismissals ended India's hopes. The situation worsened when Arshdeep Singh had to retire hurt in the final over after taking a hit to his arm, leaving India 25 runs short of victory.
With the series now leveled at 2-2, the stage is set for a high-stakes decider at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on October 17, where the team management will have to decide if Ashwin's advice to bring back the wrist-spin wizard is the key to victory.