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Former India cricketer Robin Uthappa has offered a piece of critical advice to spinner Kuldeep Yadav, emphasizing the need for him to improve his batting if he wants to become a regular in India's Test squad. Despite travelling with the team to England for a five-match Test series, Kuldeep did not play a single game — a decision that drew criticism from fans and pundits alike.
Kuldeep, who made his Test debut in 2017, has only played 13 red-ball matches for India, with his last appearance coming against New Zealand in 2024. The team management, led by head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill, chose to go with Washington Sundar instead — a move that was justified in hindsight as the series ended in a 2-2 draw.
Sundar contributed significantly with the bat, scoring 284 runs at an average of 47.33, including a century in Manchester and a half-century at The Oval. While he didn’t bowl extensively on pace-friendly tracks, Sundar still picked up seven wickets in 74.1 overs.
Uthappa believes Kuldeep must evolve to fit into this new team strategy, which prioritizes batting depth even among bowlers. “Put Kuldeep in the eleven and make sure your batting still looks solid — that’s the challenge,” Uthappa said on his YouTube channel. “With all due respect to Kuldeep's bowling, his batting is a limitation. It’ll take a lot of hard work to overcome that.”
He cited the example of Ravichandran Ashwin, who often earned his place in the team even in overseas conditions due to his all-round abilities. “Ashwin has 5-6 Test hundreds. If you can contribute with the bat from number eight or nine, you’re more likely to stay in the side,” Uthappa added.
The message is clear: for Kuldeep Yadav to secure a consistent place in the Test team, especially in overseas conditions, he must add a new dimension to his game — one that comes with the bat.
