Former Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin Questions have been raised on the way Kuldeep Yadav It has been managed in recent months, describing the left-arm wrist-spinner’s situation as “strange” and contradicting the support he received under the previous team management.Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Ashwin The leadership pointed to differences in approach between the group Rahul Dravid And Rohit Sharma and the current setup led by Gautam Gambhir. He argued that Kuldeep thrived when he was given consistent runs in the team and produced match-winning performances time and again.During Dravid’s tenure as head coach from November 2021 to June 2024, Rohit led the team in most formats during that period, with Kuldeep appearing in six Tests, 38 ODIs and 17 T20Is. Since Gambhir’s appointment, the spinner has played six Tests, 17 ODIs and 14 T20Is.Despite being in the mix across all formats, Kuldeep had a disappointing run. He played just one match during India’s victorious 2026 T20 World Cup campaign, preferring Varun Chakraborty ahead of him. More recently, he was left out of the squad for the upcoming T20I tours of England and Ireland, where Ravi Bishnoi was selected instead.“The way Kuldeep Yadav was handled is strange,” Ashwin said on ESPNcricinfo. “Kuldeep, when the last team management was with Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma, was well supported, and everyone saw proof of that in Kher as he produced match-winning performances. But once again in the last 18 months, Kuldeep finds himself with a lot of question marks.”Ashwin admitted that Kuldeep’s IPL 2026 campaign did little to strengthen his case. The spinner took just 10 wickets and conceded runs at a career-worst economy rate of 10.30. However, he has retained his place in India’s Test setup and was selected for the ongoing lone Test against Afghanistan.The veteran spinner believes that Kuldeep now needs to fully embrace the red ball format and use Test cricket as a platform to consolidate his position.“Test cricket should be his priority now, and he should pursue it,” Ashwin said.Ashwin also weighed in on Ravi Bishnoi’s return to the T20I squad. The leg-spinner had been part of India’s plans ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup and was heading into the tournament in the series against New Zealand. However, his return has raised eyebrows given his own mediocre IPL campaign.Bishnoi played only nine matches. Rajasthan Royals During IPL 2026, took 11 wickets at an economy rate of 9.88 before eventually losing his place in the playing XI.Ashwin reflected how quickly fortunes can change in international cricket. He recalled that Bishnoi himself was dropped in favor of Kuldeep in December 2023 despite being ranked the world’s No. 1 T20I bowler at the time. Over the next year, Bishnoi gradually slipped down the pecking order as the rise of Varun Chakraborty and the all-round value of Akshar Patel reshaped India’s spin options.“So what goes around comes around. He didn’t have a good IPL, and not having played the last part of the IPL, he’s back in the T20 setup. These are circular calls in many ways. But Ravi Bishnoi’s version 2.0 needs to change because he now misses his length more than he needs to, and he has to rediscover his mojo,” Ashwin said.Ashwin’s comments highlight the intense competition among India’s spin bowlers, with both Kuldeep and Bishnoi appearing on opposite sides of selection calls at different stages of their careers. While Kuldeep looks to re-establish himself through Test cricket, Bishnoi now has another chance to prove his mettle in the shortest format.
