Twitterati baffled as Kuldeep Yadav misses out yet again

Indian left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav has yet again missed out on an opportunity to feature in Team India's playing XI in Test cricket. Shahbaz Nadeem has been preferred ahead of the 26-year-old for the first Test against England in Chennai.

All-rounder Axar Patel was named in the hosts' Test squad for the first two games as Ravindra Jadeja is yet to recover from the thumb injury he sustained in the Sydney Test.

Indian skipper Virat Kohli justified Patel's selection by saying he is a like-for-like replacement for Jadeja. Thus, the 27-year-old looked set to make his Test debut in Chennai.

However, Patel suffered an injury on Thursday and was ruled out of the first Test. As a result, Team India decided to include Washington Sundar in their playing XI, owing to his all-round ablitly.

Axar Patel ruled out of first @Paytm #INDvENG Test; Shahbaz Nadeem & Rahul Chahar added to India squadMore details 👉 https://t.co/2uk74iyVpW pic.twitter.com/MpUdUGMauB

— BCCI (@BCCI) February 5, 2021

Fans on Twitter react to Kuldeep Yadav's exclusion

Shahbaz Nadeem, who was drafted in as a replacement for Axar Patel, has only played a solitary Test for India.

Thus, many fans couldn't fathom why an inexperienced spinner like Nadeem got the nod ahead of Kuldeep Yadav. They took to Twitter to express their disappointment and here is what they had to say:

I still can't how kuldeep is not able to find a spot in a test even at home, nothing against Nadeem but the fact that Kuldeep is not being picked over players with 1 test despite Bharat Arun saying he has a role in the series is pretty weird.#INDvsENG

— Ankur Sengupta (@ankursg) February 5, 2021

#INDvsENG #kuldeepyadav pic.twitter.com/MWESvJWmRZ

— Summon (@SomewhereNowhe8) February 5, 2021

No Kuldeep Yadav yet again in India’s XI. You’ve got two off-spinners in Ashwin and Washington Sundar and then #ShahbazNadeem. The last Test #Kuldeep played was exactly two years ago in Sydney where he picked a 5-for. #INDvENG

— Rahul Rawat (@rawatrahul9) February 5, 2021

Roses are red violets are blue pacific ocean is too deepKohli-Shastri don't rate Kuldeep #INDvENG #Kuldeep

— Tim Pain (@LordRelator) February 5, 2021

We gotta feel for Kuldeep Yadav, he deserved to play in the Test.He is our first choice and now the coach also said he is bowling really well in the nets but what does it matter.Brisbane Test missed, now 1st test against England#INDvENG #Kuldeep #INDvsENG #ViratKohli #Test

— Vikas Kohli (@imvikaskohli) February 5, 2021

Is someone having any personal animosity with #kuldeep yadav

— Nikhil Bhardwaj (@rkbnikhil) February 5, 2021

What does #Kuldeep need to do to get a chance? #INDvENG

— Sounak Banerjee (@Sounak11) February 5, 2021

So in that case, Kuldeep is now behind Ashwin, Jadeja, Sundar, Nadeem and Axar. Guess what's more in store for him....#Kuldeep #INDvsENG #INDvENG

— Soham (@Soham718) February 5, 2021

We were criticising #KKR for destroying #Kuldeep career but what is happening currently in Indian team is more frustrating for Kuldeep Yadav.Players having 1 test experience and net bowlers are debuting ahead him.Irrespective of his brilliant performance in last test#INDvENG

— 🆂🅾🆄🆁🅰🅱🅷 🆂🅷🅰🆁🅼🅰 (@S0urabh_MSDIAN) February 5, 2021

@BCCI I want to know is there any place for kuldeep in playing 11 or he is only for to serve drinks to the players. From Australia tour to England there is no slot for kuldeep #Kuldeep #kuldeepyadav #INDvsENG

— shyam bhavesh somvanshi (@shyam_somvanshi) February 5, 2021

Why always the bowler has to compromise just because of batting?#INDvENG #kuldeep

— Rupeswar Meher (@im_rupessh) February 5, 2021

Kuldeep Yadav made his Test debut for India against Australia at Dharamsala back in 2017. However, he has just played six Tests ever since, scalping 24 wickets. He last played a Test in January 2019 at the SCG, where he picked up a five-wicket haul.

Before the first Test, Kohli explained that Kuldeep wasn't part of Team India's playing XI in Australia because of the overseas conditions and team balance. However, the 32-year-old also stated that the wrist-spinner will feature regularly in India's home season.

It seemed certain after Kohli's video conference that Kuldeep Yadav would be getting his chance in the Chennai Test. However, the 26-year-old finds himself warming the bench yet again.

Just two years ago, Kuldeep Yadav was touted as India's first choice spinner in Tests. Now, he's battling to stay afloat. But he needn't look too far for inspiration. Ashwin & Pant too fought back from periods of self doubt. Stay strong Kuldeep!

— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) February 5, 2021

One of the other reasons why Kuldeep Yadav might have been left out is that the wrist-spinner's natural spin takes the ball away from the left-handers. Since Ravichandran Ashwin and Washington Sundar also provide the similar kind of drift, Team India might have inclined towards picking Nadeem.

England have won the toss and have opted to bat first on what looks to be a brilliant batting track. Thus, Team India's five-pronged bowling attack will need to pick up early wickets to gain an upper hand in the game.