“Left out a match-winner in favour of a journeyman like Rana” - Congress veteran’s scathing attack amid AUS vs IND 2025 2nd ODI

Congress veteran Shashi Tharoor slammed Team India's decision to confine Kuldeep Yadav to the bench for Harshit Rana in the second ODI against Australia at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday, October 23. The Men in Blue stuck with the same playing XI from the series opener in Perth, devoid of a frontline spinner and stacked with all-rounders.

The left-arm wrist spinner failed to find a place in the playing XI as Team India emphasized batting depth by having Washington Sundar and Harshit Rana at No.8 and No.9. He went through a similar problem in England during the 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy as he failed to avail a single game across the five-match series.

While Kuldeep Yadav continues to be a prominent feature in the side when it comes to the subcontinent, his overseas struggles, across formats, continue. His last appearance outside the subcontinent came during the 2024 T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA.

Shashi Tharoor highlighted the 'idiocy' of the team management's decision-making after Xavier Bartlett's brilliant spell with the new ball.

"So Xavier Bartlett took just four balls to show the Indian selectors the idiocy of their decision to leave out the most potent match-winner in their squad, @imkuldeep18, in favour of a journeyman pacer like Rana. It was wrong to omit Kuldeep in England & it is absurd not to pick him in Adelaide. Awful!" he posted on X.

Xavier Bartlett dismissed both Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli in the space of five deliveries in the seventh over of the innings to leave India reeling at 17-2.

Harshit Rana failed to make an impact with both bat and ball in the AUS vs IND 2025 1st ODI

The youngster was preferred over specialist bowlers Kuldeep Yadav and Prasidh Krishna to feature as the third frontline pacer in the playing XI for the series opener at the Optus Stadium in Perth.

However, Rana could not make an impression after being dismissed for one run off two deliveries by Mitchell Owen, and recorded disappointing figures of 0-27 off four overs.