Why Kuldeep Yadav Has Fewer ODI Chances, According to Pujara

Kuldeep Yadav's batting has come under the spotlight after former India cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara said it is the key factor limiting the left-arm wrist spinner's opportunities in the ODI side. Pujara believes India needs a reliable batting option in the lower middle order, and that the current gap is hard to ignore.

Kuldeep's ODI role has shrunk considerably this year. He missed five of the 12 matches the team has played, and most of those fixtures were held overseas. He was in the squad for the three-match ODI series against England but never made the playing eleven. India preferred Shivam Dube at number eight in that series, along with Axar Patel and Washington Sundar as spinners.

While India typically wants Harshit Rana at number eight, he is currently out injured. Even so, he is still considered part of the team's long-term plans. Pujara's view is that Kuldeep's batting is the main reason he has been kept on the sidelines.

Pujara told a media outlet, 'I think that in ODI cricket, you need depth in the squad, particularly when you are playing outside India. A team's balance gets better only when it has options to bat at seven and eight. At seven you need an all-rounder, and at eight you need a bowler who can also bat a bit. Kuldeep is a very good bowler, but his batting is not at that level. That is why India always looks for a number eight batter.'

Former India cricketer and ex-assistant coach Abhishek Nayar stressed that having five specialist bowlers in the playing eleven can be decisive. He recalled how Australia used this approach at the 2023 World Cup. Nayar said, 'In T20 cricket you need depth because it is an aggressive game. In ODI cricket you get more time to adjust to the conditions, don't you think?'

Nayar added, 'In my opinion, if you are not taking wickets, a team finds it very difficult to win a championship with its seventh or eighth batter, however long the batting line-up is. Still, there have been many instances where a fifth bowler has won a title. Australia's bowling was the main reason for their win at the last World Cup. In the final they kept taking wickets, held India to a low score, and then lifted the trophy. That is why, for me, it is the bowlers who win tournaments in ODI matches.'