Team India spinner Kuldeep Yadav has been a bona fide member in the white-ball sides, playing crucial roles in the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy-winning campaigns. However, the same dominance has not been on show in Test cricket, with only 13 appearances to show for in eight years.

The left-arm wrist spinner’s unique skillset was expected to play a vital role for India in the spin department across all conditions. However, tussling for a spot against the spin trio of Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja proved to be a tough battle as they had both experience and batting ability on their side.

The early days of his red-ball career included an appearance at Lord’s during the 2018 tour, where he returned dismal figures of 0-44 off nine overs in a massive innings loss. But, in his next overseas outing, which also marks the last one he has made so far, he stepped up with a five-wicket haul in Sydney to cap off the 2018-19 Border-Gavaskar series for India.

The performance brought praise from then-India head coach Ravi Shastri, calling Kuldeep the primary spin bowling option away from home.

“Already! He plays overseas Test cricket and he gets five wickets, so he becomes our primary overseas spinner. Going ahead, if we have to play one spinner, he is the one we will pick. There is a time for everyone (referring to Ashwin’s poor fitness record in 2018). But now Kuldeep is our frontline number one overseas spinner,” Ravi Shastri had told Cricbuzz (via Indian Express).

“I was very impressed with the way Kuldeep bowled in Sydney. Even in Test cricket, it is going to be the age of wrist spin, especially in overseas Test cricket. The way he bowled in Sydney, he becomes our number one spinner in overseas Test cricket,” Shastri added.

However, since then, Kuldeep Yadav endured a slump in form and a barrage of injury woes as the trio of finger spinners grew stronger and stronger, leaving no room for the wrist spinner to mount a comeback.

Kuldeep Yadav is in contention to feature in ENG vs IND 2025 2nd Test

The wrist spinner was not considered for the series opener in Headingley, Leeds, as Team India went with Ravindra Jadeja as the sole frontline spinner. The move backfired as the left-arm spinner lacked potency, and failed to make the most of a Day 5 pitch, resulting in England winning by five wickets.

Kuldeep Yadav had troubled the English batters in the subcontinent during the 2024 home series. He finished the five-match series as the joint third-highest wicket-taker with 19 scalps at an average of 20.15.

The second Test between India and England is scheduled to take place at Edgbaston, Birmingham, from Wednesday, July 2, onwards.