Former Indian wicket-keeper bat Deep Dasgupta has put his weight behind Kuldeep Yadav for the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka. Dasgupta said Yadav, who is part of the squad, has to be in the playing XI.

Kuldeep was part of the ODI team against England but didn’t even get a single game against the hosts. The wrist was not included in the third ODI despite the absence of gun fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah. Since July 2024, Kuldeep has featured in 38 games out of 103 matches across all formats for India. 

Kuldeep has scalped 194 ODI wickets in 121 matches at an average of 27.05 and thus has an impressive record in the 50-over format.

“Kuldeep Yadav has to be in the playing XI, has to be. I was expecting him to be in the playing XI for that third ODI against England at Lord’s. Not only me, but a lot of the others were expecting him to be seen. Unfortunately, those making the team did not see him, that is a different issue,” Deep Dasgupta said on his YouTube channel.

The former Bengal cricketer said picking four spinners in the playing XI won’t be a bad idea. India has four spinners in the squad – Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Saransh Jain, and Manav Suthar.

“I think it is a good squad, based on the conditions there are more spinners than seamers. So, there is an opportunity to play with even four spinners, because it has happened it in the past as well, where both Sri Lanka and their opposition have walked out with four spinners. So, I think it was important to have that extra spin bowling option in the squad,” Dasgupta said.

“I think the squad was along expected lines, to be fair. Ideally, Washington Sundar would have been the first-choice off-spinner, but he is not there because of injury. I can’t think of any name that should have been in the squad, but is not there,” he concluded.

India will take on Sri Lanka in a two-match Test series, starting August 15.