Ganguly bluntly tells Gambhir 'Kuldeep crucial for...' after unfortunate England no-show, warns not to judge axed pacer

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly on Thursday reminded head coach Gautam Gambhir of the value of having a spinner of Kuldeep Yadav's calibre in the line-up, after the wrist-spinner's misfortune continued at The Oval. Despite growing anticipation that Kuldeep would finally get his chance in London, India stuck with their tried combination of two spinners and three fast bowlers for the series finale. India's Kuldeep Yadav during a training session ahead of the fifth Test cricket match between India and England, in London(PTI)

Kuldeep had been the experts' favourite throughout the tour. Ever since India landed in England for the five-Test series, most—if not all—pundits had backed his inclusion in the playing XI. They pointed to his wicket-taking ability and the unique threat he posed to English batters. Still, the calls went unheard.

With Gambhir favouring batting depth in the XI regardless of format, Kuldeep—who boasts 56 wickets in just 13 Tests at an average of 22.16—remained behind spin-bowling all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar throughout the series.

"I think England went with four fast bowlers. They left a bit of grass on the wicket—I'm presuming that was deliberate. India have had quality spinners like Jadeja and Ashwin in the past. I really wish Kuldeep had played in Manchester, at Lord's, and even in Birmingham. Without quality spin, it's hard to bowl a team out on Day 5," Ganguly told reporters during an event in Kolkata.

"We saw what happened when India batted—there wasn't a top-class spinner in England's attack, and they couldn't take wickets. In the past, teams had great spinners—whether it was Warne, Muralitharan, England's Swann and Panesar, or even our own Harbhajan and Kumble. Kuldeep is someone India must persist with. He's crucial for our future."

'Surprised not to see Mukesh Kumar'

Ganguly also urged India to show more patience with Anshul Kamboj, who was dropped for the Oval Test after a forgettable debut in Manchester. Kamboj, who joined the team just two days before the start of the fourth Test after a series of injuries struck the Indian camp, managed just one wicket on his debut.

"Don't judge Anshul Kamboj based on just one Test match. He's a young kid who has taken plenty of wickets in domestic cricket. We need to assess players over five, six, even eight Tests before forming opinions," Ganguly said.

However, the India legend said he was surprised that Kamboj was picked ahead of Mukesh Kumar, who last played for India in the home Test series against England in February 2024. Overall, Mukesh has just three appearances for India in the format, picking seven wickets at 25.57.

"That said, I'll be honest—I'm surprised not to see Mukesh Kumar in the national squad, especially in red-ball cricket. His domestic numbers are phenomenal, and these conditions would have suited his style of bowling perfectly. Hopefully, he'll get his opportunity in the near future," Ganguly said.

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