Why Kuldeep Yadav is Not Playing Today in IND vs NZ 1st T20I?

The first T20I between India and New Zealand marks the beginning of another high-profile T20 series. The contest is being hosted by the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur, which will witness the return of veteran Indian players Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, and Jasprit Bumrah.

New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner opted to bowl first after winning the toss. Meanwhile, India skipper Suryakumar Yadav confirmed Kuldeep Yadav's absence from the playing XI, which has left the fans scratching their heads since he is a part of the India T20 World Cup squad.

Why Kuldeep Yadav is Not Playing Today?

Left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav has been a consistent name in India's T20I squad; however, the star spinner will miss the IND vs NZ 1st T20I. There is no official reason behind his exclusion from the squad, but he appears to have missed out due to the team combination.

Team India is playing with an extra batter with Rinku Singh returning to the playing XI as Kuldeep Yadav replacement. While it's clearly not a like-for-like replacement, the Men in Blue still have two proper spinners in the playing XI - Axar Patel and Varun Chakaravarthy.

Kuldeep has been highly consistent in the shortest format, but Varun Chakaravarthy has been one of the best T20 bowlers in the world. Varun has shown more effective performances in recent times, which is why he got the chance to play ahead of Kuldeep. On the other hand, Axar Patel has the capability to contribute with both and ball.

Kuldeep Yadav's Outstanding Numbers in T20Is

Kuldeep Yadav is one of the most experienced bowlers when it comes to the shortest format of the game. The chinaman bowler is one of the best spinners in the world and currently the fifth-highest wicket-taker for India in T20Is with a total of 90 wickets in just 50 matches, including two five-wicket hauls.

It was shocking to see Kuldeep being snubbed out of the playing XI. Despite getting dropped, the star spinner is likely to play a crucial role for India in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026, where the pitches are conducive for the spinners. India opting for an extra batter clearly indicates that the team management wants to have that extra cushion in the department.