Ashwin Brands Kuldeep Yadav's Treatment 'Unfair', Fears Another Benching on New Zealand Tour

'Unfair to pin the blame on one bowler'

Ravichandran Ashwin has taken aim at the handling of Kuldeep Yadav, saying the left-arm wrist spinner has been treated unfairly after being left out of the Team India playing XI following a single expensive outing.

Kuldeep was sidelined after returning figures of 1-53 as West Indies chased down 250 in the second T20I in Ranchi, a result that pushed the spinner out of the XI.

"Kuldeep has produced results over the years and it is unfair to pin the blame on one bowler when conditions are against him. He hasn't been the go-to option under this management, which is unfortunate," Ashwin said, speaking from Chennai.

Chakravarthy tipped to get the nod in New Zealand

The former India off-spinner expects the selectors and team management to look elsewhere again once the side lands in New Zealand, with Hardik Pandya still unavailable.

"With Hardik Pandya not yet back, I expect Varun Chakravarthy to get the nod ahead of Kuldeep (in New Zealand), though it will be interesting to see how he returns from his side strain," Ashwin added.

The 40-year-old also raised the possibility that India could once more gravitate towards a combination that prioritises batting depth over specialist bowling options.

"If we have Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar around, we might see India leave out an attacking spin option. I hope not, but that could again be the direction we take," he said.

Warning over four-seamer plans

Should India settle on four frontline seamers, Ashwin argued the emphasis must be on picking genuine wicket-takers rather than compromising the attack to lengthen the batting order.

Part of a wider critique from Ashwin

The latest remarks extend a run of public criticism from Ashwin directed at India's team management and selection committee.

In earlier reporting dated 16 October 2026, Ashwin hit out at the decision to drop Kuldeep during the T20I series against West Indies, calling the call 'lacking common sense' and arguing the wrist-spinner's presence could have saved India 15-20 runs.

On 17 October 2026, he turned his attention to the ODI squad for the New Zealand series, describing the omission of Yashasvi Jaiswal as 'very unfair' and warning that repeated snubs risked damaging the young opener's confidence. Ashwin argued Jaiswal should have been handed the spot vacated by a rested Shubman Gill for the final two matches of that series.

What's next

India's tour of New Zealand begins on 22 October 2026, with coverage on Sony Sports Network and Sony LIV. Whether Kuldeep features in the XI, or watches on from the bench again, will be the first test of whether Ashwin's warning carries any weight.