T20 World Cup 2026: Should India Play Kuldeep Yadav in Super 8 Match Against Zimbabwe?

India suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of South Africa in their first game of the Super 8. With Kuldeep Yadav on the bench, it begs the question if there is a place for the experienced spinner in the playing 11. 

At Ahmedabad, India went with off-spinner Washington Sundar ahead of Axar Patel. A move that received heavy criticism from fans and former players on social media platforms. With Varun Chakravarthy having a bad day against South Africa, experts wondered if having Kuldeep in the XI would have helped the team. 

Should Kuldeep Yadav be back in the playing 11?

The left-arm chinaman is one of the rare bowlers for whom batters do not get a lot of practice in the nets. Reading the spinner on these pitches could prove to be tricky for the non-Asian teams like Zimbabwe and the West Indies. 

India found their success formula by having an all-rounder or a batter at number eight. Bringing the spinner in would mean that batting depth would need to be sacrificed. The only game Kuldeep has played in the tournament so far came against Pakistan at the expense of Arshdeep Singh. If the 31-year-old does come into the team at the expense of batting depth, it could certainly decrease the workload of Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube as all-rounders. 

Who will Kuldeep replace in the playing 11?

Getting Kuldeep Yadav in the playing 11 could be tricky. It would be interesting to see if the spinner makes it into the team; who makes the space for him? With reports suggesting Rinku Singh’s unavailability for the India vs Zimbabwe clash, the Indian team management would be forced to make a change.

If Kuldeep comes in place of Rinku, the Indian tail could certainly increase. However, it is unlikely that the head coach, Gautam Gambhir and skipper, Suryakumar Yadav, would replace a batter with a bowler. So, Sanju Samson or Axar Patel would possibly come back into the 11, replacing the left-handed batter. Washington Sundar is another player who had middling returns against South Africa. The all-rounder could make way for Kuldeep if the Indian team management decides to sacrifice batting depth. 

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