Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has questioned the way Kuldeep Yadav has been managed in recent months, describing the left-arm wrist-spinner’s situation as “bizarre” and contrasting it with the backing he received under the previous team management.Speaking on ESPNcricinfo, Ashwin pointed to the difference in approach between the leadership group of Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma and the current setup led by Gautam Gambhir. He argued that Kuldeep had thrived when he was given a consistent run in the side and had repeatedly delivered match-winning performances.During Dravid’s tenure as head coach from November 2021 to June 2024, with Rohit leading the side across formats for much of that period, Kuldeep featured in six Tests, 38 ODIs and 17 T20Is. Since Gambhir’s appointment, the spinner has played six Tests, 17 ODIs and 14 T20Is.Despite remaining in the mix across formats, Kuldeep has endured a frustrating period. He played just one match during India’s triumphant 2026 T20 World Cup campaign, with Varun Chakaravarthy preferred ahead of him. More recently, he was left out of the squads for the upcoming T20I tours of England and Ireland, where Ravi Bishnoi was selected instead.“The way Kuldeep Yadav has been handled is bizarre,” Ashwin said on ESPNcricinfo. “Kuldeep, when the last team management was around with Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma, he was well backed, and everyone saw the proof in the pudding as he was delivering match-winning performances. But again in the last 18 months, Kuldeep finds himself with a lot of question marks.”Ashwin acknowledged that Kuldeep’s IPL 2026 campaign did little to strengthen his case. The spinner managed only 10 wickets and conceded runs at a career-worst economy rate of 10.30. However, he has retained his place in India’s Test setup and was selected for the ongoing one-off Test against Afghanistan.The veteran spinner believes Kuldeep now needs to fully embrace the red-ball format and use Test cricket as a platform to cement his position.“Test cricket must now be his priority, and he must take it on,” Ashwin said.Ashwin also weighed in on Ravi Bishnoi’s return to the T20I squad. The leg-spinner had been part of India’s plans before the 2026 T20 World Cup and featured in the series against New Zealand leading into the tournament. However, his recall has raised eyebrows given his own modest IPL campaign.Bishnoi played only nine matches for Rajasthan Royals during IPL 2026, taking 11 wickets at an economy rate of 9.88 before eventually losing his place in the playing XI.Ashwin reflected on how quickly fortunes can change in international cricket. He recalled that Bishnoi himself was dropped in favour of Kuldeep in December 2023 despite being ranked as the world’s No.1 T20I bowler at the time. Over the following year, Bishnoi gradually slipped down the pecking order as Varun Chakaravarthy’s rise and Axar Patel’s all-round value reshaped India’s spin options.“So what goes around comes around. He didn’t have a great IPL, and on the back of not playing the back half of the IPL, he is back in the T20 setup. These are circular calls in many ways. But version 2.0 of Ravi Bishnoi needs to turn up because he misses his length way too much now than he must, and he must rediscover his mojo,” said Ashwin.Ashwin’s comments highlight the intense competition among India’s spin bowlers, with Kuldeep and Bishnoi both finding themselves on opposite sides of selection calls at different stages of their careers. While Kuldeep looks to re-establish himself through Test cricket, Bishnoi now has another opportunity to prove his worth in the shortest format.
