India captain Shubman Gill Opened up on one of the most talked about selection decisions of the recently concluded ODI series England after -Kuldeep Yadav Remained on the bench during all three matches. The absence of the left-arm wrist spinner sparked widespread debate, especially after England posted huge scores in the series decider at Lord’s.
Speaking after India’s defeat in the third ODI, Gill explained the team’s thought process behind choosing the extra pace option instead of including Kuldeep. He also admitted that, as the match progressed, conditions changed and this affected the inexperience of India’s bowling attack.
Shubman Gill reveals why Kuldeep Yadav did not attend
Addressing the media after the match, Gill said that the team management believed that the pitches in the first two ODIs, as well as the surface at Lord’s during England’s innings, provided little assistance to spin bowlers. According to the India captain, the fast bowlers were more likely to create chances with the new ball, which influenced the decision to stick with the pace attack. However, Gill admitted that the surface became noticeably slower in the second innings, making spin more effective than initially expected.
“In the matches we had played before, we had seen that the wickets were not providing that much help to the spinners. Whenever the spinners came to bowl, we felt that we had to go into defensive mode. Whenever the fast bowlers were bowling, it felt like something was happening. And that was the thought process behind not bringing in an extra spinner. Maybe in hindsight, looking at the wicket, I think it had slowed down a bit. When we were bowling and when Axar When Bhai was bowling for us, it didn’t seem as if the wicket would get that slow, but when he came to bowl, it seemed as the game progressed, the wicket got a little slow. Gill said.
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Gill highlights India’s inexperienced bowling attack
India’s bowlers struggled to contain England’s batting lineup as the hosts scored 388 runs, leaving the visitors with a tough target to chase. Gill admitted that his team lacks experience in the bowling department, especially with senior fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah Unavailable. The way the captain supported the youth Gurnoor Brar And Prince Yadav Despite the tough journey, he said he is still learning at the highest level.
“Our bowling is a bit lacking in experience, and I think in this match we were put under pressure and we didn’t respond well. We didn’t start well in the powerplay. We gave away too many loose balls and then we were always chasing the game, trying to take wickets, trying to create something, that shouldn’t have happened for us.” Gill said.
Kuldeep’s omission remained one of the biggest talking points of the series, with many believing that his wicket-taking ability in the middle overs could have provided India with a different option. Nevertheless, Gill made it clear that the decision was based on the conditions the team expected before the match, and not on the outcome that ultimately unfolded.
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