'Sometimes You Just Have To Go...': Kuldeep Yadav Breaks Silence On India Test Snubs After County Bowling Heroics

India spinner Kuldeep Yadav has spoken about the disappointment of being left out of the playing XI, admitting that it is never easy when you are in the squad but still do not get a chance to play.

Kuldeep has found himself in and out of India’s plans across formats. He was dropped from the Test team for the Sri Lanka series after an underwhelming start in Galle. He was also not picked for the T20I series against Afghanistan or the upcoming Asian Games 2026.

The 31-year-old, however, has made a strong statement with his performances in English county cricket. Playing for Yorkshire, Kuldeep recently picked up his maiden 10-wicket haul in first-class cricket at Headingley. His six-wicket haul for 50 runs helped Yorkshire beat Essex by an innings.

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Kuldeep Yadav on India snub

Kuldeep was also not given a single game during India’s five-Test tour of England last year. Speaking about that decision, he admitted that he was disappointed but understood that team combinations and management plans can sometimes work against a player.

“Sometimes you just have to go with the team combination or strategy. Definitely, you feel bad when you are not playing or not part of the playing XI,” Kuldeep said in an interview with talkSPORT.

He added that being part of the squad naturally makes a player want to get on the field.

“You want to play because when you are in the squad you want to play, but sometimes it doesn’t happen because of whatever the management thinks. Last year, I was hoping to get a chance in a few games, but it’s okay. Maybe next time,” he said.

Why Kuldeep Yadav featuring in County?

Kuldeep also made it clear that his return to county cricket was not about proving a point to anyone. Instead, he wanted to enjoy the experience and learn from playing in conditions that are very different from those in India.

He believes county cricket can be particularly useful for spinners and batters because it forces them to deal with unfamiliar conditions.

“I personally feel the English county experience is very good for batters and spinners. Obviously, you will see seaming conditions here and there, but you play here to get used to the challenges you face,” Kuldeep said.

According to him, conditions can also change significantly across different parts of England.

“You’re not going to face them back home because you grew up playing there and you know the conditions pretty well. So you come here and face different challenges and different conditions,” he explained.

Kuldeep said some grounds in southern England can offer dry pitches, while conditions are noticeably colder in the north, including Yorkshire.

“Some pitches are very dry here. If you go south, you’ll feel that dryness in the wicket. When you come a bit north, like Yorkshire, you’ll see a bit of cold,” he said.

Will BCCI add Kuldeep Yadav in India's Asian Games 2026 squad?

However, there are chances that the BCCI will add Kuldeep Yadav to India's squad for the Asian Games 2026, which will take place in Japan, as superstar spinner Varun Chakravarthy will most likely miss the multinational event after suffering an injury during the 1st T20I against Afghanistan at Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.