Sourav Ganguly has openly questioned India’s team selection for the fifth Test against England at The Oval, especially the continued exclusion of spinner Kuldeep Yadav. Despite strong expert support and an impressive record of 56 wickets in 13 Tests at an average of 22.16, Kuldeep was benched for the entire series.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir has preferred spin-bowling all-rounders like Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, sticking with the combination of two spinners and three fast bowlers. Ganguly also mentioned that patience is required with debutant Anshul Kamboj but expressed surprise at the absence of Mukesh Kumar, who he felt was more suitable for English conditions.
During an event in Kolkata on 31 July, while speaking to reporters, the former India captain said: “I think England went with four fast bowlers. They left a bit of grass on the wicket—I’m presuming that was deliberate. India have had quality spinners like Jadeja and Ashwin in the past. I really wish Kuldeep had played in Manchester, at Lord’s, and even in Birmingham. Without quality spin, it’s hard to bowl a team out on Day 5.”
He added: “We saw what happened when India batted—there wasn’t a top-class spinner in England’s attack, and they couldn’t take wickets… Kuldeep is someone India must persist with. He’s crucial for our future.”
Ganguly also backed Anshul Kamboj, saying: “Don’t judge Anshul Kamboj based on just one Test match… We need to assess players over five, six, even eight Tests before forming opinions.”
However, he also noted: “I’ll be honest—I’m surprised not to see Mukesh Kumar in the national squad… Hopefully, he’ll get his opportunity in the near future.”
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