"Imagine wasting a match-winner like him" - Twitter furious over Kuldeep Yadav's exclusion from the playing XI for AUS vs IND 2025 2nd ODI

Team India spinner Kuldeep Yadav was left out of the playing XI for a second consecutive game in the second ODI of the ongoing three-match ODI series in Australia. Skipper Shubman Gill confirmed at the toss that the Men in Blue will go in with the same 11 that lost the series opener at Perth by seven wickets.

The 30-year-old has been in red-hot form across formats this year, picking up 38 wickets in 16 outings at an average of 18.57. Kuldeep helped India win the 2025 Champions Trophy, their last ODI assignment before the ongoing Australian series, with seven wickets in five matches.

He also led all bowlers with 17 wickets in the recent 2025 Asia Cup, where India triumphed without losing a game, in the UAE. Kuldeep also shone brightly in India's most recent international series before the Australian tour - a two-Test series against the West Indies, with 12 wickets.

Fans on X were disappointed with India for overlooking Kuldeep Yadav once again and expressed their views as follows:

Misal

@MisalMum

Kuldeep not getting chances in Aus who r not good players of Spin.. I hate this Coaching staff & Captaaan.. Today was the last day & they proved me right...Not going defend them from now ON...

Kaushik Upadhyay

@Kaushik71045676

Still no Kuldeep yadav ? Why we are not playing him tell me! What is with harshit rana ?

tea_addIct

@on_drive2306

Retirement lele Kuldeep bhai.

Fans continued slamming India's decision to leave Kuldeep Yadav out of the 11, with one saying:

"Kuldeep Yadav again on the bench, man that’s frustrating. The guy’s been in top form and still can’t find a place imagine wasting a match-winner like him."

"No Kuldeep in the XI again. Gambhir is not learning from the first match, and if they lose this match, then Gambhir's coaching becomes questionable because he is doing whatever he wants, not in favor of the team," posted a fan.

"Big brain stuff from Gambhir to drop Champions trophy hero Kuldeep on Adelaide pitch...probably gonna not watch this match..no point when deserving players don't get a chance," a fan said.

“How many all-rounders do you need?" - R Ashwin baffled by Kuldeep Yadav's exclusion after 1st ODI

Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was baffled by the team management's decision to exclude Kuldeep Yadav from the playing XI for the 1st ODI against Australia in Perth. The visitors opted for batting depth with three all-rounders, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, and Nitish Kumar Reddy, along with as many specialist pacers, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, and Mohammed Siraj.

Talking about Kuldeep Yadav's exclusion after the Perth ODI, Ashwin said on his YouTube channel (via India Today):

"How many all-rounders do you need? You already have three all-rounders. There was a time when there were no all-rounders. You’ve got Washington, you’ve got Axar, and you’ve got Nitish. With all this, if you still can’t play your best spinner, I don’t get it at all."

Ashwin added:

"I can understand why they’re playing two spinners in the game along with Nitish Reddy, they want the batting depth because both Washington and Axar can bat. But man, at least give some attention to the bowling too. On these big grounds, if Kuldeep can’t bowl with a lot of freedom, where will he bowl then? And there’s going to be over spin which will help him get bounce as well."

Kuldeep boasts an excellent ODI record, with 181 wickets in 113 games at an average of 26.44 and an economy of under five.