Former Indian cricketer and commentator Sanjay Manjrekar has expressed his astonishment over India’s decision to drop spinner Kuldeep Yadav for the first Test against Bangladesh at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. 

The decision, made by captain Rohit Sharma and the team management, has sparked discussion, as India opted for an unusual combination of three pacers and only two spinners to kick off their red-ball season.

Manjrekar took to social media platform X to voice his surprise, stating: “Find it amazing how easily India drops a Kuldeep Yadav.” The comment reflects the growing debate surrounding India’s selection strategy for the home Test, given the typically spin-friendly conditions in the subcontinent.

In Indian conditions, it is generally expected that the team would field three spinners, as the pitches tend to favour turn. Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, the two veteran spinners, are automatic selections, while the third spinner’s spot has been contested between Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel. However, in a surprising move, neither Kuldeep nor Axar was picked for this Test, with the team instead choosing right-arm pacer Akash Deep to round out the bowling attack.

Manjrekar’s surprise stems from Kuldeep’s fluctuating role in India’s Test squad. Despite being one of the country’s most talented spinners, Kuldeep has struggled to cement his place in the Test side since his debut in 2017. 

Even after notable performances, such as his eight-wicket haul against Bangladesh in a series opener in 2022, he has often found himself out of the playing XI. He did make a strong comeback during India’s home series against England earlier in 2024, playing four consecutive matches and ending the series with 19 wickets, along with valuable lower-order contributions with the bat. This solid form had seemingly placed him as the favourite over Axar Patel for the third spinner’s role.

The decision to leave out Kuldeep becomes even more curious when considering the conditions in Chennai. Typically, the subcontinent pitches favor spinners, and India’s reliance on their spin trio—Ashwin, Jadeja, and a third spinner—has been a staple in home Tests. 

However, with talk of the pitch containing red soil, the notion of a “rank turner” pitch was ruled out before the game began. Bangladesh had previously troubled India on a spinning surface in Dhaka in 2022, and their spin-heavy attack remains formidable.

India’s move to select three pacers—Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Akash Deep—along with Ashwin and Jadeja seems to indicate their desire to prepare for sporting tracks that benefit seamers, particularly with an eye on the upcoming tour to Australia. A seam-friendly pitch would allow India’s fast bowlers to acclimatize to conditions they will encounter overseas, but it comes at the cost of a proven spinner like Kuldeep.

Prior to the match, Manjrekar addressed the concerns about the pitch in an interview with ESPNcricinfo. He noted that India might be hesitant to create a typical turning track, stating, “You can’t have a green top pitch which is seam-friendly in Indian conditions. Indian batting has also struggled a bit on turning pitches, and with the three spinners there, India might find it a bit more difficult to beat Bangladesh if they produce rank turners.”

This concern appears to have influenced the decision to field more seamers. Bangladesh capitalized on the seam-friendly conditions early on, reducing India to 28-2 within the first hour of play on Day 1, as their pacers exploited the overcast skies and helpful pitch.

As the Test progresses, it remains to be seen whether India’s gamble of going with a pacer-heavy attack in familiar conditions will pay off.