Why Kuldeep Yadav is not Playing Today in IND vs NED T20 World Cup Match?

India are facing Netherlands in the 36th match of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. The Men in Blue have secured a place in the Super 8 stage and will face Zimbabwe, South Africa, and the West Indies.

After losing several tosses in a row, Suryakumar Yadav finally got the coin in his favor against Netherlands. The hosts will bat first today and try to put up a good total on the board. During the toss, Suryakumar mentioned at the toss that spinner Kuldeep Yadav has been left out of the playing 11 for this game.

Why Kuldeep Yadav Is Not Playing Today Against Netherlands?

India's chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav has been left out of the match against the Netherlands, mainly due to the team combinations. The conditions in Ahmedabad for the IND vs NED T20 World Cup 2026 match look far more suitable for the pacers than for the spinners, which might have prompted the team management to go for an extra pace bowling option.

Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh has come in as Kuldeep Yadav replacement for this game. Kuldeep played the last match against Pakistan, in spin-friendly conditions at Colombo, and returned figures of 1-14 in three overs. It was his first game in the T20 World Cup 2026. While he didn't take many wickets, he was quite economical and also impactful.

Arshdeep has played two matches in this tournament and picked up three wickets at an economy rate of under 8 runs per over. He is one of the best T20 bowlers in the world and also became the first Indian to pick up 100 T20I wickets. Arshdeep's excellence with the new ball and in the death overs makes him a special player in the shortest format of the game.

Will Kuldeep Yadav Return in Next Match?

Kuldeep Yadav is one of arguably one of the best spinners in the world. However, with Axar Patel and Varun Chakravarthy in the side, the scope of going in with three spinners becomes less. However, if there is any spin-friendly pitch in the upcoming matches, he is likely to be considered.

Kuldeep has played in 54 T20Is and picked 95 wickets at a staggering average of less than 14. He can be useful on any pitch in the world but India's strong bench strength means that the team management will go for the horses-for-courses policy.