Virat Kohli Explains Why Kuldeep Yadav is Not a Regular Feature in the Playing XI for Team India

Ahead of the fourth Test series against England in Ahmedabad, the Indian skipper Virat Kohli has confirmed that the hosts will not bring too many changes to the team that trounced England last time out.

Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is out of the squad due to personal reasons, and off-spinner Washington Sundar did not bowl much in the third Test, so it is expected that Umesh Yadav and Kuldeep Yadav will replace the duo.

Meanwhile, during the media interaction on Wednesday Indian skipper, Virat Kohli explained why Kuldeep Yadav is not a regular feature in the playing XI for Team India in Test cricket.

Kohli believes it is all about the team combination in the end, which often forces Team India to leave out Kuldeep Yadav.

“There is no issue with skill or headspace. His (Kuldeep Yadav’s) game is absolutely precise. He is bowling better than he has ever bowled before. Combinations, we need to make sure we cover all facets of the game and have our strongest talented squad on the park,” Virat Kohli said during the press conference on the eve of the fourth Test.

When Jadeja is Playing, Kuldeep Comes Into The Picture: Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli accepted that had Jadeja been fully fit, the hosts might have considered playing Kuldeep regularly, given their batting depth.

India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja had sustained a thumb injury during the third Test of the four-match Border Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia and hence failed to feature in any of the Test matches. Axar Patel came as a replacement for Jadeja in the Test series against England and has performed exceptionally well thus far.

“See when Jadeja is playing, Kuldeep comes into the picture because of Jadeja’s experience with the bat and the number of times he has done the job for the team. Kuldeep is a very skillful bowler and will always be in consideration for whatever games we have in front of us,” Virat Kohli asserted.