As Indian captain Rohit Sharma announced the playing XI for the second Test against Bangladesh in Kanpur, one name notably absent was the local star, Kuldeep Yadav. This omission came as a surprise to many fans who expected to see Kuldeep in the lineup for this match at his home ground. So why isn’t Kuldeep playing?
Decision to Stick With a Winning Combination
Rohit Sharma decided to go with an unchanged team from the first Test match in Chennai, maintaining a combination of three seamers and two spinners: Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. This strategy suggests that the team management preferred to stick with a successful lineup rather than make changes, even though Kuldeep is a local player and many thought he would get an opportunity.
Conditions in Kanpur Similar to Chennai
The pitch and weather conditions in Kanpur played a significant role in the team’s decision-making. The overcast conditions, damp surface, and the potential for early seam movement are quite similar to the conditions in Chennai, which influenced India to retain the same balance of seamers and spinners. The team likely felt this combination would be effective, hence leaving no space for Kuldeep.
Lack of Opportunities on Home Ground
Interestingly, Kuldeep Yadav, despite being from Kanpur, has never played a Test match at his home ground. His absence could be seen as a tactical decision, influenced by both the pitch conditions and India’s strategy to play with an unchanged XI.
India’s Playing XI for the 2nd Test
- India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (w), KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.
Bangladesh’s Playing XI
- Bangladesh: Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das (w), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Khaled Ahmed.