Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Mohammad Kaif has asserted that it would be a bit unfair to the veteran wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav if he is judged based on one poor game.
Interestingly, Kuldeep, who was included in the fourth ODI, conceded 73 runs without scalping a wicket in his eight-over spell. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaif gave a beautiful example involving former Indian captain MS Dhoni after Kuldeep’s performance in the fourth ODI.
“Mahendra Singh Dhoni said he wants to give his players so many chances that if they aren’t able to perform, they themselves say they are not worthy of it. But that has not been happening with Kuldeep. When you give a player four or five matches, and if he doesn’t do well, you can then assess the performance and move on by giving someone else a chance,” Kaif said on Cricinfo.
“This is how a team runs. It is very difficult to assess Kuldeep from one match. If you play one match, then travel with the team for 2-3 months without getting a chance, and then get to play another match, the morale can never be high this way,” he added.
Kaif further speculated that Daryl Mitchell’s absence could have influenced the Indian team management’s decision to include Kuldeep Yadav in the playing XI. Mitchell had withdrawn from New Zealand’s ODI squad ahead of the fourth match to focus on preparations for the upcoming two-Test series.
“Why did Kuldeep suddenly play today? It was because Daryl Mitchell was not part of New Zealand’s playing XI, as he had gone to prepare for the Test matches. The one who started hitting Kuldeep, or picking him in the air, was Daryl Mitchell. He was the only batter who dominated Kuldeep at the 2023 World Cup. If Mitchell was available for this match, maybe Kuldeep would not have gotten a chance,” he added.
