Michael Clarke, a former Australian captain, has strongly endorsed Kuldeep Yadav, labelling the left-arm wrist-spinner as the world’s best all-format spinner at the time and expressing concern over the bowler’s lack of regular opportunities in India’s squad.
Michael Clarke‘s comments come in light of Kuldeep’s continuous non-selection across forms. After the first Test in Galle failed to go as planned, India’s selectors dropped him from the Test XI for the Sri Lanka series. He was omitted from the T20I squad for the September 2026 Asian Games and the Afghanistan series at the same time.
Why is Kuldeep Yadav not in India’s squad?
Kuldeep’s absence from India’s squads is not a new phenomenon. He was a member of India’s travelling group for the five-Test tour of England, but he was never named to the starting lineup in any of the games, which clearly impacted him. Kuldeep had previously expressed how irritating it was to be present but not play, especially on the England visit.
Clarke’s vocal backing is especially remarkable given that the pattern of non-selection has persisted even while Kuldeep has continued to succeed in competitive cricket outside of the national system.
What about Kuldeep Yadav’s county cricket performance?
Kuldeep’s historic performance for Yorkshire in the County Championship Division One provided a striking answer to his critics. He finished with 10 for 120 in the match against Essex at Headingley on September 8-10, 2026, after taking 4 for 70 in the first innings and recording career-best figures of 6 for 50 in the second.
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Clarke’s remark about his ability across formats is bolstered by the fact that it was his first-ever first-class 10-wicket haul and took place outside of the subcontinent. Yorkshire overcame Essex by an innings and 106 runs in three days, largely due to Kuldeep’s bowling.
