Kuldeep Yadav finally breaks silence on warming the bench throughout India’s five-Test series against England earlier this year.
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Kuldeep Yadav Shines in Asia Cup After England Snub
Kuldeep Yadav is in the form of his life, bagging consecutive Player of the Match awards in the 2025 Asia Cup. Against the UAE and Pakistan, he picked up seven wickets, including a four-wicket haul in India’s opener. His brilliant run has once again sparked debate over why he warmed the bench throughout the England tour, where India drew the five-Test series 2-2.
Despite heavy calls from fans and pundits for his inclusion in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, the Shubman Gill-led side prioritized batting depth. Kuldeep later revealed before the Oman clash that head coach Gautam Gambhir had been transparent with him about the decision, emphasizing team balance over individual skill.
“Communication was clear. Sometimes I felt I could play, but due to batting depth or combinations, I didn’t get a place. Gautam Bhai was straightforward about it. It wasn’t about skill but team composition. I enjoyed my time and learned a lot,” Kuldeep said. He added that observing from the sidelines helped him improve and build resilience, instead of blaming circumstances.
‘Challenges are always there’
Kuldeep Yadav admitted the circumstances were tough, saying it wasn’t easy to land in Dubai and immediately deliver for India in the Asia Cup. He explained that rhythm is key for a bowler, and missing regular match time made things harder.
“Challenges are always there because when you play the first game, your rhythm is very important. If you keep playing regularly, your rhythm stays set, and you get an idea of how to bowl or spend time on the field, how to react. That was missing a bit,” Kuldeep said. He added that working on fitness and bowling volume during the break, plus a wicketless but lengthy 35-over spell in the Duleep Trophy, helped him regain rhythm and confidence.
His mindset, he emphasized, was not to overthink but to stick to his strengths and bowl in the right areas. Currently, Kuldeep is the second-highest wicket-taker of the 2025 Asia Cup, trailing only the UAE’s Junaid Siddique. With India already through to the Super 4s, the Suryakumar Yadav-led side will face Oman in their last Group A clash before locking horns with Pakistan in the Super 4s opener.