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Bollywood actress and noted Ironman athlete Saiyami Kher has voiced strong criticism over the exclusion of left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav from all five matches of the ongoing England vs India Test series, famously called the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Despite pre-series expectations surrounding Kuldeep’s potential impact on English pitches, the Indian management opted not to feature the spinner in any of the Tests, igniting widespread discussion among fans, former cricketers and critics.
The controversy reached its peak on Thursday, as Indian captain Shubman Gill named his team’s playing XI for the fifth and final Test at The Oval—again leaving Kuldeep out. This marked the fifth consecutive match where the 30-year-old spinner, who was part of the squad, was benched. The Indian camp made four changes for the series finale, including the inclusion of Dhruv Jurel, Akash Deep, Karun Nair and Prasidh Krishna, but the decision to overlook Kuldeep did not go down well with many followers of the game.
Saiyami Kher questions Kuldeep Yadav’s exclusion
Saiyami Kher, a passionate cricket fan with a considerable social media following, took to platform X (formerly Twitter) to question the selectors’ rationale. She wrote:
“I understand pitches, conditions, combinations all of it. But making a wicket-taking, match winner like @imkuldeep18 sit out for 5 straight Tests is beyond me. Especially in a series decider. Can someone please explain the logic?”
I understand pitches, conditions, combinations all of it. But making a wicket taking, match winner like @imkuldeep18 sit out for 5 straight Tests is beyond me. Especially in a series decider. Can someone please explain the logic?#INDvENG
— Saiyami Kher (@SaiyamiKher) July 31, 2025
The tweet rapidly garnered attention, with many fans echoing her sentiments and demanding greater transparency regarding selection policies. Cricket experts have also been vocal; several believe India missed an opportunity to leverage Kuldeep’s deft spin and variety to counter England’s batting—a tactic that had worked successfully in earlier overseas assignments.
Kuldeep Yadav’s supporters speak out
Kuldeep’s supporters, including his childhood coach Kapil Pandey, have repeatedly pointed out his stellar run in recent tournaments. Notably, Kuldeep was India’s breakout performer in the ODI World Cup, bowling effectively against world-class batsmen and turning matches in India’s favour. His form and rhythm, as evidenced in the white-ball games, led many to expect that he would finally get a consistent run in red-ball cricket during the England tour.
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“Not picking Kuldeep Yadav has hurt India; you can’t expect him to score 100 runs, but you need someone to break partnerships and provide breakthroughs. In the recent matches, it’s the batters who have failed, not the bowlers,” Pandey remarked, emphasizing Kuldeep’s potential as a match-winner and his readiness to contribute if given a chance.
Team management, so far, has cited “pitches, conditions, and combinations” as the basis of their selections, opting for a seam-heavy attack in English conditions. However, as the series progressed, especially amid batting failures, critics questioned whether overlooking a potent, in-form spinner was a missed opportunity, particularly in high-stakes encounters.
