India national cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir has finally opened up on the issue of keeping star left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav and key left-arm fast bowler Arshdeep Singh on the bench continuously.
Gautam Gambhir said that the toughest task for him as a coach is to select an ideal playing XI combination while keeping out exceptionally talented players like Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav.
I think this is the hardest thing for me – Gautam Gambhir
Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav are considered to be two of the best bowlers in world cricket, and they would easily make it into the playing eleven of any team in the world across all formats.
However, both of them find it very difficult to make a place in the Indian playing eleven and despite being a part of the team in all three formats, find themselves on the bench most of the time.
Arshdeep Singh is the leading wicket-taker for India in T20I cricket, but he mostly warmed the bench in the Asia Cup 2025 as India used a spin-heavy strategy, with Jasprit Bumrah playing as a specialist fast bowler.
Meanwhile, Kuldeep Yadav was recently dropped from the T20I playing eleven in Australia after a few matches and before that, he had missed the selection in the first two ODIs against the Australian team. Kuldeep also features in India’s Test playing XI only in domestic matches.
In a video shared on BCCI.TV, Gautam Gambhir was bluntly asked about keeping Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav out of the playing eleven. He replied:
“Look, this is probably the hardest part for me as a coach. I think this is the hardest thing for me. There are times when I know there is a lot of quality sitting on the bench, and I know everyone deserves to be a part of the playing XI, but ultimately you can only pick an XI by thinking about what is the best combination to do the job on that particular day.”
But the most important thing for me is conversation – Gautam Gambhir
The Indian head coach said that when players are being benched, it becomes very important to have proper communication with them as it is natural for them to be upset. He said:
“But for me, the most important thing is also conversation and communication. Communication has to be very clear, very honest. Sometimes, obviously, these are difficult conversations and conversations.
“If you tell someone he’s not playing, that’s probably the hardest conversation to have for a coach and a player as well because I know the player will be upset when he deserves to be part of the playing eleven.”
I think it has been a very transparent dressing room – Gautam Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir further said that it becomes very important to be completely transparent with the players and they also understand the reason behind being shunned. He said:
“But if you’re honest, if you’re straightforward, if you know what you’re saying is from the heart and nothing beyond that, then I think some players understand that. And that’s the communication between a player and a coach and I think that’s where it should remain and not for people to make a lot of noise and different theories about it.
“And that’s something that I think this group and the support staff have done brilliantly because I think it’s been a very transparent dressing room, it’s been a very honest racing room and that’s the way we want this dressing room to be.”
Also read: Zimbabwe team announced for T20 tri-series in Pakistan, Blessing Muzarabani out
